On the intervening night of 17/18th December, 1995, a huge consignment of sophisticated arms and ammunition was airdropped over some villages in Purulia Distt. of West Bengal. On this incident an FIR no. 152 dated18.12.1995 was registered in Jhalda Police Station and investigation was taken up under the various sections of IPC, Arms Act and Explosives Act etc.
In view of seriousness of the matter the Govt. of India requested the Govt. of West Bengal to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough investigation. The Govt. of West Bengal did so on 27.12.1995.Earlier on 22.12.1995 the aircraft concerned in this case was force to land at Mumbai Airport and six crew members including one British citizen Peter Bleach and five Latvians namely 1) Klishin, 2) Gaidash, 3)Timmerman, 4) Moskovitin and 5) Antimenko taken into custody. However, the master mind of the crime Neils Holck @ Kim Davy was able to escape from the airport.
After investigation CBI filed a charge sheet on 20.03.96 against 13 persons viz. i) Peter James Gilfran Von Kalketein Bleach, ii) Alexander Klichine @Sasha, iii) Igor Moskvitine @Alexandre, iv) Oleg Gaidach, v) Evgueni Antimenko, vi) Igor Timmerman, vii) Deepak @Daya Anand @Daya Anand Manikan (Absconding), viii) Kim Palgrave Davy @Davy Km Peter (Absconding), ix) Acharya Suranjanananda Avadhuta @Satyendra Narayan Singh (Absconding), x) Acharya Saileshwarananda Avadhuta @Umesh Chandra Sharma (Absconding), xi) Acharya Jagadishwarananda Avadhuta (Absconding), xii) Acharya Tadbhavananda Avadhuta @Tusar Kanti (Absconding) and xiii) B.Rameshan (Absconding) U/s. 121,121(A),122,123 IPC, 25(1-A) & (I-B)(f)(g) / 27 r/w 35 of the Arms Act & U/s. 9B(2) of Indian Explosive Act, 1994 and U/s.4(b)/5/6 of Explosive Substances Act U/s. 120B/177/420 IPC & 10/11/11A/12 of Air Craft Act. Subsequently in the process of continuing investigation two more charge sheets were filed in the case.
Judgement in this case was pronounced on 2/2/2000 and the convicted accused persons viz. Peter James Gilfran Vol Kalkstein Bleach, Alexander Klichine @Sasha, Igor Moskvitine @Alexandre, Oleg Gaidach, Evgueni Antimenko and Igor Timmerman were sentenced to undergo R.I. for life and to pay a fine of Rs.25000/- each. Later in spite of objection by the prosecuting agency, the then Govt. of India granted presidential pardon to remit the sentences in respect of five Latvians on 22.07.2000 and in respect of Peter Bleach on 04.02.2004.
We have recently seen one of the convicted persons, Peter Bleach, and an absconder from Indian justice, Neils Holck @ Kim Davy, whose extradition we are seeking, making some allegations about the case.
The Govt. of India had taken the incident of arms dropping at Purulia very seriously from the very beginning. Immediately after the air drop the Govt. of India had set up an inter-ministerial group to co-ordinate effort. As a result, the aircraft involved could be quickly identified and was later forced to land at Mumbai international airport. Various intelligence and security agencies of the Govt. of India have provided all out support to the CBI in its investigation in and outside the country.
Letters Rogatory were also sent to several countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore, UK, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Denmark. Investigations were also conducted through mutual legal assistance arrangements in the USA, South Africa, Netherlands, Ecuador, Brazil, and Sweden.
Recent allegations by a wanted and proclaimed offender Kim Davy, who master minded the arms drop, are mischievous and aimed at misleading the prosecuting agency and the court in Denmark which are seized with the matter of his extradition to India to face trial. Earlier also he has admitted his role in this crime not only in front of the print and visual media including BBC and in a book written by him, but also in front of Danish court at Hillerod in Copenhagen. His self serving allegations and attempt to give a political colour to his crime and thus deflect the judicial process of his extradition is not substantiated by the evidence and facts.
As for the allegations by Peter Bleach, he was convicted and sentenced to life by an Indian court of law on the basis of evidence collected by the CBI. This conviction was never set aside by any superior court in India. The allegations and contentions of Bleach as voiced by him now could have been raised during his free and fair trail in an open court of law. He was given every opportunity to prove his alleged innocence whereas the trial court found him one of the main conspirators and convicted him for life.
From the very beginning the Govt. of India and CBI have shown all seriousness in locating and extraditing Kim Davy. Since he was traced in Denmark in the year 2001, efforts continued to extradite him to India, in spite of the fact that there is no extradition treaty between Denmark and India. The matter has repeatedly been taken up at the highest levels resulting in the initiation of extradition proceedings against Kim Davy. During the recent visit of the Danish Deputy Prime Minister this matter was again taken up by the External Affairs Minister.
The case remains under investigation. Any new facts emerging at any time will be looked into by the CBI in a professional manner. Moreover once Kim Davy is extradited and put to trial in an Indian court of law he will get ample opportunity to explain his contentions and his defense to the court which will decide on his culpability as per the evidence and the law.
Notwithstanding what Neils Holck @ Kim Davy, a proclaimed offender of law and Peter Bleach, a convict in this case, have said in a section of the media, the fact remains that no Govt. agency connived or helped them in their heinous act. The Govt. of India has facilitated the free, impartial and professional investigation of the case at every stage. The Govt. of India is committed to unravel the truth and the entire conspiracy behind the crime and to bring all the guilty to justice.
Documents pertaining to the case against Peter Bleach and the Latvians are already in the public domain. When Kim Davy is extradited to India and put on trial the documents pertaining to his role will also be put in the public domain.
Government and the CBI are acutely conscious of the fact that nothing should be done at this stage that will prejudice the extradition proceedings or the intended trial of Kim Davy after his extradition to India.
After investigation CBI filed a charge sheet on 20.03.96 against 13 persons viz. i) Peter James Gilfran Von Kalketein Bleach, ii) Alexander Klichine @Sasha, iii) Igor Moskvitine @Alexandre, iv) Oleg Gaidach, v) Evgueni Antimenko, vi) Igor Timmerman, vii) Deepak @Daya Anand @Daya Anand Manikan (Absconding), viii) Kim Palgrave Davy @Davy Km Peter (Absconding), ix) Acharya Suranjanananda Avadhuta @Satyendra Narayan Singh (Absconding), x) Acharya Saileshwarananda Avadhuta @Umesh Chandra Sharma (Absconding), xi) Acharya Jagadishwarananda Avadhuta (Absconding), xii) Acharya Tadbhavananda Avadhuta @Tusar Kanti (Absconding) and xiii) B.Rameshan (Absconding) U/s. 121,121(A),122,123 IPC, 25(1-A) & (I-B)(f)(g) / 27 r/w 35 of the Arms Act & U/s. 9B(2) of Indian Explosive Act, 1994 and U/s.4(b)/5/6 of Explosive Substances Act U/s. 120B/177/420 IPC & 10/11/11A/12 of Air Craft Act. Subsequently in the process of continuing investigation two more charge sheets were filed in the case.
Judgement in this case was pronounced on 2/2/2000 and the convicted accused persons viz. Peter James Gilfran Vol Kalkstein Bleach, Alexander Klichine @Sasha, Igor Moskvitine @Alexandre, Oleg Gaidach, Evgueni Antimenko and Igor Timmerman were sentenced to undergo R.I. for life and to pay a fine of Rs.25000/- each. Later in spite of objection by the prosecuting agency, the then Govt. of India granted presidential pardon to remit the sentences in respect of five Latvians on 22.07.2000 and in respect of Peter Bleach on 04.02.2004.
We have recently seen one of the convicted persons, Peter Bleach, and an absconder from Indian justice, Neils Holck @ Kim Davy, whose extradition we are seeking, making some allegations about the case.
The Govt. of India had taken the incident of arms dropping at Purulia very seriously from the very beginning. Immediately after the air drop the Govt. of India had set up an inter-ministerial group to co-ordinate effort. As a result, the aircraft involved could be quickly identified and was later forced to land at Mumbai international airport. Various intelligence and security agencies of the Govt. of India have provided all out support to the CBI in its investigation in and outside the country.
Letters Rogatory were also sent to several countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore, UK, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Denmark. Investigations were also conducted through mutual legal assistance arrangements in the USA, South Africa, Netherlands, Ecuador, Brazil, and Sweden.
Recent allegations by a wanted and proclaimed offender Kim Davy, who master minded the arms drop, are mischievous and aimed at misleading the prosecuting agency and the court in Denmark which are seized with the matter of his extradition to India to face trial. Earlier also he has admitted his role in this crime not only in front of the print and visual media including BBC and in a book written by him, but also in front of Danish court at Hillerod in Copenhagen. His self serving allegations and attempt to give a political colour to his crime and thus deflect the judicial process of his extradition is not substantiated by the evidence and facts.
As for the allegations by Peter Bleach, he was convicted and sentenced to life by an Indian court of law on the basis of evidence collected by the CBI. This conviction was never set aside by any superior court in India. The allegations and contentions of Bleach as voiced by him now could have been raised during his free and fair trail in an open court of law. He was given every opportunity to prove his alleged innocence whereas the trial court found him one of the main conspirators and convicted him for life.
From the very beginning the Govt. of India and CBI have shown all seriousness in locating and extraditing Kim Davy. Since he was traced in Denmark in the year 2001, efforts continued to extradite him to India, in spite of the fact that there is no extradition treaty between Denmark and India. The matter has repeatedly been taken up at the highest levels resulting in the initiation of extradition proceedings against Kim Davy. During the recent visit of the Danish Deputy Prime Minister this matter was again taken up by the External Affairs Minister.
The case remains under investigation. Any new facts emerging at any time will be looked into by the CBI in a professional manner. Moreover once Kim Davy is extradited and put to trial in an Indian court of law he will get ample opportunity to explain his contentions and his defense to the court which will decide on his culpability as per the evidence and the law.
Notwithstanding what Neils Holck @ Kim Davy, a proclaimed offender of law and Peter Bleach, a convict in this case, have said in a section of the media, the fact remains that no Govt. agency connived or helped them in their heinous act. The Govt. of India has facilitated the free, impartial and professional investigation of the case at every stage. The Govt. of India is committed to unravel the truth and the entire conspiracy behind the crime and to bring all the guilty to justice.
Documents pertaining to the case against Peter Bleach and the Latvians are already in the public domain. When Kim Davy is extradited to India and put on trial the documents pertaining to his role will also be put in the public domain.
Government and the CBI are acutely conscious of the fact that nothing should be done at this stage that will prejudice the extradition proceedings or the intended trial of Kim Davy after his extradition to India.
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