GUWAHATI: At a time when Naga talks have kept the Manipur state of northeast India restive, government has released United National Liberation Front (UNLF) leader R. K. Meghan alias Sanayaima from Guwahati Central Jail on Saturday evening.
The release of the UNLF leader Meghan was kept very low profile to avoid media attention. Meghan's close aides said that he was in detention for last ten years for "waging war against the state".
Meghan is likely to arrive in Manipur capital Imphal on Monday.
Formed in 1964, UNLF is one of the oldest insurgent outfits in northeast India who had been fighting for a sovereign Manipur. Unlike other insurgent outfits in India, UNLF is still firm on their demand of holding a plebiscite in Manipur.
Popularly known as Sanayama, Meghan says that the state of Manipur is under martial law and hence the elections held in the state has no validity.
Meghan was arrested by Bangladeshi authorities in 2010 and was subsequently handed over to Indian authorities. Meghan however, never applied for any bail unlike other militant leaders of the region.
Meghan's advocate, Gunedhor Moirangthem said that Meghan was convicted in 2016 and was awarded 10 years imprisonment and Rs. 70,000 fine.
"Although his imprisonment is due expiry on 2020. However, he was released on Saturday after the remittance of the rest of his term due to his good behaviour during his imprisonment," Moirangthem said.