Danish Court Rejects India’s Request to Extradite Niels Holck in 1995 Arms Smuggling Case
Copenhagen, Denmark – On Thursday, a Danish court decided not to extradite Niels Holck, a Danish national accused of being involved in a 1995 arms smuggling case, to India. This decision was made because sending Holck to India would violate Denmark’s extradition act due to the risk of him being subjected to treatment that breaches the European Convention on Human Rights.
India has been seeking Holck’s extradition for several years. He is suspected of smuggling around four tonnes of weapons to a riot movement in West Bengal. Holck had previously admitted to a Danish court that he was part of a group of seven people who smuggled weapons into West Bengal on December 17, 1995, using a Russian cargo plane.
The incident, known as the Purulia Arms Drop, involved the illegal dropping of arms from an Antonov An-26 aircraft in the Purulia district of West Bengal. The arms were intercepted by an Indian Air Force aircraft. While five Latvian citizens and Peter Bleach, a British citizen and former Special Air Service officer, were arrested, Holck, also known as ‘Kim Davy,’ managed to escape.
India first requested Holck’s extradition in 2002. Although the Danish government agreed, two Danish courts rejected the request, citing the risk of torture or inhumane treatment in India. In June 2023, Denmark reconsidered a 2016 Indian extradition request, stating that the requirements in the extradition act had been met.
Doubts Revealed
Danish Court -: A Danish court is a place in Denmark where judges make decisions about legal cases. Denmark is a country in Europe.
Extradite -: To extradite means to send someone back to another country where they are accused of a crime, so they can be put on trial there.
Niels Holck -: Niels Holck is a person from Denmark who is accused of helping to smuggle weapons into India in 1995.
Arms Smuggling -: Arms smuggling means secretly bringing weapons into a country without permission. It is illegal and dangerous.
West Bengal -: West Bengal is a state in the eastern part of India. It has a lot of people and is known for its culture and history.
Extradition Act -: An extradition act is a law that explains how and when a country can send someone back to another country to face legal charges.
Inhumane Treatment -: Inhumane treatment means treating someone very badly, in a way that is cruel and not fair.
Purulia Arms Drop -: The Purulia Arms Drop was an incident in 1995 where weapons were dropped from a plane into the Purulia district of West Bengal, India.
Indian Air Force -: The Indian Air Force is the part of India’s military that uses airplanes and helicopters to protect the country.
2002 -: 2002 is a year. It is when India started asking Denmark to send Niels Holck back to face charges for the arms smuggling incident.