GUWAHATI: The son of Rebati Phukan – a former mediator between the Centre and ULFA (undivided) – on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Assam Police to trace his father who has been missing for more than a month.
Rebati Phukan was involved in mediating peace between the Centre and undivided United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) since 1991. He had gone missing on April 22 from Guwahati city while on a morning walk.
Rebati’s son Kaushik Phukan filed a habeas corpus (a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a court) petition seeking a direction to the Assam Government and police to produce Rebati Phukan in the SC was mentioned by senior counsel Geeta Luthra before a Bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao which agreed to take it up on Friday.
Rebati Phukon went for morning walk on April 22 and did not return, after which the landlord reportedly called Kaushik and a complaint was filed at a police station in Guwahati.
Rebati Phokon was an employee of Oil India Limited (OIL) and a renowned soccer player in Assam. He is known to be a childhood friend of fugitive ULFA (Independent) leader Paresh Barua. He was a member of the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) that was formed by the ULFA in the 1990s to broker peace with the Government of India on its behalf. The PCG was later dissolved by the ULFA.
The Assam Police at the instruction of the Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal has formed a special investigation team to trace Rebati Phukon.
