Guwahati, July 15: The National Investigation Agency today filed a chargesheet against Ulfa (Independent) leaders, including the outfit's commander-in-chief Paresh Barua and chairman Abhizeet Asom alias Mukul Hazarika, at an NIA special court here.

The third Ulfa (I) member named in the chargesheet is its self-styled second lieutenant Gagan Hazarika alias Joydeep Cheleng, who was arrested in Upper Assam's Charaideo district in January and is in judicial custody. Both Barua and Abhizeet have been named as absconding accused. Barua is believed to be hiding either in Myanmar or in China while Abhizeet is suspected to be in the UK.

A source in the NIA said the chargesheet has been filed in connection with a case (RC 04/2013) registered by the investigation agency suo motu at its Guwahati branch in 2013 in connection with Ulfa (I)'s subversive activities.

"The NIA has collected sufficient materials, technical and circumstantial evidence, against the accused persons during the course of investigation and established their involvement in anti-India activities," the source said.

"The NIA also submitted a prayer in the court today for continuing investigation in this case against other senior Ulfa (I) leaders such as Drishti Rajkhowa under Section 173 (8) of the CrPC," he added.

In the chargesheet, the NIA has provided the confessional statement of Gagan and several documents to prove that the real identity of Abhizeet Asom is Mukul Hazarika, a UK-based doctor who hails from Nagaon district in central Assam, the source said.

"Gagan's statement is important as he was closely associated with Barua and Abhizeet during their visit/stay at the Ulfa (I) camps in Myanmar. In fact, Gagan had served as Abhizeet 's bodyguard during his stay at the outfit's Myanmar camp sometime in 2015," he added.

"Following submission of the chargesheet today, the Centre will now initiate the process for repatriation of Abhizeet from the UK to face trial here in this case," he said.

The chargesheet was filed against Barua under Sections 17, 18, 18A,18B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and Sections 121A (conspiring to wage war on the state and to overawe it by criminal force), 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 385 (extortion) of the IPC while Abhizeet was charged under Sections 18, 18A, 18B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and Sections 121A and 124A of the IPC.

Gagan was charged under Section 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.