Dhaka:  After acquitting former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia of corruption charges, Bangladesh court has now shown mercy on ULFA leader as well. The High Court has commuted the life sentence of ULFA leader Paresh Barua to 14 years imprisonment in a case registered under the country's Arms Act, while acquitting several other accused. While Khaleda Zia's 10-year sentence was acquitted by the Supreme Court while acquitting her of corruption charges. "A two-judge bench has reduced the sentence of absconding United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) military commander Paresh Barua and four Bangladeshis to life imprisonment," an official of the Attorney General's Bureau said on Wednesday.

Barua and former Bangladesh state home minister Lutfuzzaman Babar, several former military officials, civilian officials and private citizens were convicted in 2014 on two charges related to an alleged attempt to smuggle 10 truckloads of weapons to ULFA hideouts in Assam. The Bangladesh High Court on December 18 last year commuted Barua's death sentence in the case to life imprisonment. Barua is believed to be living in China. He was sentenced to death in a trial conducted in absentia in 2014.

Barua's name is on India's most wanted list

Barua is also on the list of 'most wanted' persons of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India. In April 2004, an alleged attempt by some 'influential circles' to smuggle 10 truckloads of weapons to ULFA hideouts in northeast India through Chattogram (now Chittagong) was foiled. The weapons loaded on these trucks, which included over 27,000 grenades, 150 rocket launchers, over 11 lakh rounds of ammunition, 1,100 sub-machine guns and 1.14 crore bullets, were seized by security agencies. A case was registered under the Special Powers Act 1974 for smuggling of arms and another under the Arms Act for illegal possession of arms