Kim Davy case: India lodges protest with Denmark

New Delhi: India has lodged a strong protest with Denmark over the remarks made by Danish High Court about the human rights conditions in this country while rejecting plea to extradite Purulia arms drop accused Kim Davy, saying such observations were unacceptable.

Sources in the Government said that the External Affairs ministry summoned the Charge d'Affaires on Monday and conveyed in no uncertain terms that such remarks about India's human rights records and prison conditions were unacceptable.

The envoy was told that Davy was an accused in arms dropping case and he was a wanted by Indian law.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had yesterday termed the Danish High Court's observation as "disappointing" and strongly rejected the argument that prisoners are subjected to torture here.

"Kim Davy verdict is very disappointing. We reject the argument that prisoners are subjected to torture or that human rights of the accused will be violated," Chidambaram had said.

Chidambaram also said he has written a letter to External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, making all these points and requesting him to ask the Government of Denmark that they should immediately file an appeal in a higher court there.

Last week, the Eastern High Court in Copenhagen gave its verdict while rejecting the Danish government's plea to allow 49-year-old Davy, also known as Niels Holck, to be handed over to CBI in the 1995 Purulia case, dashing India's hopes of getting him.

The court had rejected the assurances given by India to Denmark that no harm will befall Davy once he is in its custody.

India's failure to ratify United Nations Torture Convention, alleged degrading treatment in jails and widespread human rights violations were cited as some of the reasons cited by the High Court for its decision.

Sophisticated arms, including AK-47 assault rifles, anti-tank grenades and other weapons were dropped from a foreign plane on the fields of Purulia in West Bengal on the night of December 17, 1995.

An Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued against Davy in 1996 on CBI's request.

Since he was traced to Denmark in 2001, efforts continued to extradite him to India even though there was no extradition treaty between the two countries.