Secret papers allege land purchases in India by JSS and UPDF leaders

STAFF REPORTER

Secret documents have emerged alleging that nine senior figures of the separatist armed organisations Jana Sanghati Samiti (JSS) and the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) have purchased land in India.

According to the leaked papers, the leaders collectively acquired 25 kani of land in West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram. The documents state the funds used for the purchases came from extortion.

The named leaders are Santu Larma, Ushaton Talukder, Shaktipada Tripura, Gyannendu Bikash Chakma, Sanjib Chakma, Vishal Chakma, Anshuman Chakma, Bimal Chakma and Jupiter Chakma. The documents allege that Vishal Chakma purchased the largest share of land, amounting to 11 kani across two locations in Tripura.

The papers also state that each leader used a new Indian identity – changing names, fathers’ names and addresses – to complete the transactions. The documents list both the Bangladeshi and Indian names for each leader.

According to the leaked files, JSS leader Santu Larma, under the Indian name “Prabhat Chandra Sarkar,” bought one kani of land in Subhash Palli, Kolkata, West Bengal.

JSS (Santu) group leader and former Member of Parliament Ushaton Talukder, whose Indian name is “Bhavesh Deb Barma,” purchased two kani in Nandan Nagar, Agartala, Tripura, the documents state.

Shaktipada Tripura, also of the JSS (Santu) group, is alleged to have bought two kani in Bhati Abhoynagar, Agartala, Tripura, using the name “Abhik Tripura.”

Gyannendu Bikash Chakma is reported to have purchased one kani in Nandan Nagar, Agartala, Tripura, under the name “Sudip Sarkar.”

Sanjib Chakma, another JSS (Santu) leader, allegedly bought two kani in Aizawl, Mizoram, under the name “Onimoy Chakma.”

The documents further claim that Vishal Chakma, using the Indian name “Sumati Ranjan Chakma,” purchased a ten-kani rubber plantation in Kanchanpur, Tripura, and under the name “Binoy Chakma” acquired an additional one kani near Janashakti Baidya Vihar in Kanchanpur – totalling 11 kani.

JSS (Reformist) leader Anshuman Chakma, whose Indian name is “Charu Bikash Dewan,” is reported to have purchased two kani near the Manu Forest Office in Tripura.

UPDF (Prosit) group leader Bimal Kanti Chakma, under the name “Ratan Chowdhury,” allegedly bought one kani in Krishnanagar, Tripura.

JSS (Reformist) leader Jupiter Chakma, using the Indian name “Satya Jiban Chakma,” reportedly purchased three kani in Kolkata, West Bengal, according to the leaked documents.

Al Jazeera investigative journalist Zulkarnain Saer published the documents on his Facebook page on 28 September 2025.

In his post, Saer said those who have for decades created instability in Bangladesh were securing their own residences in the neighbouring country.

Those people were also maintaining close contact there, he added questioning those interests they were serving.