Purulia arms drop case: Difference between revisions

On 8 October 2008 the extradition of the key accused, Niels Holck|Kim Davy, real name Niels Holck, was close to being finalized as the government had, in principle, agreed on giving "sovereign assurance" to the Danish authorities on their conditions, as well as bringing about some changes in the existing extradition law. One of the conditions Denmark had set included the waiving of the death penalty if Davy is convicted by a court for his involvement in the dropping of a huge cache of arms and ammunition from an aircraft in West Bengal in 1995.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Purulia_arms_case_Govt_agrees_to_waive_death_penalty/rssarticleshow/3571584.cms|title=Purulia arms case: Govt agrees to waive death penalty|last=Mohan|first=Vishwa|coauthors=Subodh Ghildiyal|date=8 October 2008|work=Indiatimes|accessdate=8 March 2011|location=New Delhi}}</ref>

On 28 April 2011 Kim Davy came forward and alleged that both the Indian government (congress party) as well as its intelligence agency R&AW were aware of the precise details of the arms drop well in advance, and that the whole operation was conducted with the implicit agreement of the Indian authorities. Both Peter Bleach and Kim Davy claimed that the aim of the arms drop was to help anti Left government dissidents and to create a pretext to impose President's Rule in West Bengal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-05-31/india/28304324_1_kim-davy-alias-arms-drop-denmark-government|title=India knew about Purulia arms drop: Accused|date=31 May 2010|work=Indiatimes|accessdate=28 April 2011|location=New Delhi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-28/india/29482022_1_kim-davy-purulia-arms-drop-purulia-district|title=Purulia Exposé: India's best kept secret|date=28 Apr 2011|work=Indiatimes|accessdate=28 April 2011|location=New Delhi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Purulia-arms-drop-was-RAW-op-to-destabilise-Left-govt--say-accused/783288/}}</ref>

On 29 April 2011 Central Bureau of Investigation denied all allegations of involvement or collusion in the arms drop.<ref>[http://www.inewsone.com/2011/04/29/no-indian-government-role-in-purulia-arms-drop-cbi/46996]{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref> Questions have been raised if Kim Davy's 'sensational revelation' was aimed to stall the extradition efforts of India.<ref>[http://www.dailypioneer.com/335169/MI5-RAW-jointly-involved-in-Purulia-arms-drop-says-Davy.html]{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/current-affairs/no-evidence-against-politicianspurulia-arms-drop-case_539385.html |title=No evidence against politicians in Purulia arms drop case – PTI |publisher=Moneycontrol.com |date=2011-04-29 |accessdate=2013-03-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/purulia-was-raw-mi5-operation-to-overthrow-basu-bleach-davy/articleshow/8113513.cms | work=The Times Of India | title=Purulia was RAW-MI5 operation to overthrow Basu: Bleach, Davy}}</ref> Some political analysts have also questioned the 'timing of the revelation' which may help the Left parties in the ongoing state government assembly elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/cong-tars-bjp-left-with-same-brush/666911.html |title=Cong tars BJP, Left with same brush, IBN Live News |publisher=Ibnlive.in.com |date=2011-04-29 |accessdate=2013-03-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/videoshow/4371743.cms|title=Kim Davy interview at Timesnow}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/videoshow/4371744.cms|title=Peter Bleach, J. K. Dutt and Kim Davy interview-part II at Timesnow}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/videoshow/4371745.cms|title=Peter Bleach, J. K. Dutt and Kim Davy interview-part III at Timesnow}}</ref>

On 30 June 2011 Central Bureau of Investigation has been denied to extradite Kim Davy a.k.a. Niels Holck to India for further proceedings in India. The Danish High Court, after hearing evidence from Peter Bleach who described his personal experiences in jail in Kolkata,  dismissed the plea on the grounds of "torture or other inhuman treatment".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2147665.ece|title=Danish court says Davy cannot be extradited to India | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu|first=Vinay|last=Kumar|date=30 June 2011

The Bangladeshi Member of Parliament|MP and retired Major-General Mohammed Shubid Ali Bhuiyan had been accused of involvement in the case.<ref>{{cite news|last=Roy|first=Anirban| url=http://portal.thebengalpost.com/index.php/index/newsdetails/Purulia-armsdrop-man-to-grace-Vijay-Diwas-event-257228321355500635 | work=The Bengal Post | title=Purulia armsdrop man to ‘grace’ Vijay Diwas event! | date=15 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=1&id=238215&hb=1 | work=bdnews24.com | title=Armsdrop story returns to haunt AL MP | date=15 December 2012}}</ref> The CBI had submitted to the Kolkata High Court two end-user certificates, required for international arms deals, allegedly signed by Bhuiyan in his capacity as the Chief of staff|PSO of the Armed Forces Division of the office of the then prime minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia|Begum Khaleda Zia.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/b-desh-involved-in-purulia-arms-dropping-case-report_591303.html | work=Zee News | title=B’ desh involved in Purulia arms dropping case: Report | date=30 December 2009}}</ref> The certificates had been recovered by the British police, who assisted the CBI in the probe, in raids on Bleach's estate. One of the certificates – issued on November 25, 1995 – authorized Bleach’s front company, Border Technology and Innovations Ltd, to conclude the contract with the Bulgarian suppliers stating that the arms ''will be used by the Bangladesh Army and will not be exported to any other country''. The boxes containing the weapons, found in Purulia, had been marked for Rajendrapur Cantonment in Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sharan|first=Abhishek|title=Bangladesh linked to arms drop in Purulia|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/Bangladesh-linked-to-arms-drop-in-Purulia/Article1-491941.aspx|accessdate=15 December 2012|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=December 30, 2009}}</ref> However, the Government of Bangladesh as well as Bhuiyan has denied such allegations and maintain that the certificates were forged by Bleach's contacts in Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite news|title='Bangladesh had no link'|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=184330|accessdate=15 December 2012|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=May 5, 2011}}</ref>