Intelligence sources told The Indian Express that Sharma is a self-styled “Second Lieutenant” of the militant outfit.

They said Sharma had been put on a “look-out notice” by the Manipur police, and that his passport details had been circulated to all immigration points in the country.

“The apprehended militant is understood to be with the political wing of the outfit. We believe his responsibilities included procuring arms, negotiating and meeting with human rights groups and NGOs,” said a source.

A team from the Manipur police is expected to reach Kolkata on Saturday to take custody of Sharma. While it is not clear which security agency intercepted Sharma, Airport police station Officer-in-Charge Anup Ghosh said he was aware of the incident, but no arrests had been made by his police station.

“He has not been brought to us,” Ghosh said.

In April last year, security forces had raided the Jadavpur area of Kolkata and apprehended four PREPAK militants owing allegiance to the Shanti faction of the outfit. The operation, jointly carried out by the Manipur police, Kolkata CID, a unit of the 57 Mountain Division in Manipur, and the Eastern Command’s intelligence unit, had failed to net the faction’s leader, Shanti, who is still absconding.

While two militants had been held in Kolkata, two more were arrested at the Imphal airport. A large amount of foreign currency, six credit cards and two personal computers had been seized from the Kolkata flats during the raid.