After hearing the bail petitions on Wednesday, NIA court judge A K Das refused to give bail to the duo in the first case. The court will hear their bail applications in the second case on Monday.
The counsel of the two militant leaders, Bijon Mahajan, said, "The bail petitions were rejected because of the restrictions contained in the Section 43 B of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, as far as the case 1/2009 was concerned. Hearing on the other case will be held on July 25, since the records of that case are with the Gauhati High Court in connection with a different appeal."
It may be mentioned here that the NIA special public prosecutor had earlier submitted a no-objection certificate of the ministry of home affairs and the state home department regarding the duo's release on bail.
The DHD(J) has been demanding the release of its two top leaders to facilitate the peace talks with the Centre. The DHD(J) wants the government to treat its leaders the same way as it has done in the case of Ulfa leaders, who were released on bail to take part in the peace talks.
The NIA started an investigation into DHD(J) siphoning off central funds from the NC Hills Autonomous Council to buy arms and create terror in 2009. It was the first case handed over to the agency after it was set up following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
The decision was taken after Assam Police registered two cases in which cash amounting to over Rs 1 crore, weapons and mobile phones were recovered from four youths including two DHD(J) militants in Guwahati on April 1 in 2009. Police had arrested the four near Assam-Meghalaya border while they were on their way to Shillong to hand over the money.
While Garlosa was arrested in 2009 from Bangalore, Hojai surrendered along with all his cadres in that year in Haflong. Since then, the outfit has been engaged in a peace process with the Centre.