A Danish court has denied India’s request to extradite Niels Holck, also known as Kim Peter Davy, who is wanted in connection with the 1995 Purulia arms drop case. The court’s decision, announced on Thursday, was based on concerns that Davy would face treatment violating the European Convention on Human Rights if sent to India.
The Purulia arms drop occurred on December 17, 1995, when a Latvian Antonov An-26 aircraft dropped a large cache of weapons over Joupur village in West Bengal. The arms, including AK-47 rifles, anti-tank grenades, and rocket launchers, were reportedly intended for the Ananda Marga rebel group.
Kim Davy, who has been implicated as the mastermind behind the operation, admitted in a Danish court to being on the cargo plane and participating in the smuggling. Despite ongoing efforts by New Delhi to extradite him for trial in India, the Danish court ruled that extraditing Davy would breach Denmark’s extradition laws due to risks of inhumane treatment in India.
Davy’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, argued that India’s assurances regarding Davy’s safety were insufficient. “The court has determined that his safety cannot be guaranteed,” Christoffersen said. The decision leaves open the possibility of an appeal, although Anders Rechendorff, the Danish public prosecutor who previously supported the extradition, has yet to confirm whether this will occur.
The case has historical significance, as it involved a major arms smuggling operation intended to support a militant group in India. The aircraft involved was intercepted by the Indian Air Force, leading to the arrest of several crew members, including Peter Bleach, a former British Army officer turned arms dealer. Davy managed to escape, reportedly with the aid of bribes, and eventually returned to Denmark.
The Purulia arms drop has fueled various theories, including claims that Davy had CIA connections and that Indian authorities might have had prior knowledge of the operation. Despite these claims, the legal and diplomatic battle over Davy’s extradition continues, with his future remaining uncertain.
