Court rejects extradition of Danish national to India

COPENHAGEN - A Danish court Monday rejected a request by the country’s justice ministry to extradite a Danish national to India, where he is wanted in connection with a 1995 arms drop.

Niels Holck, who has used at least two aliases, has been wanted by India since 2002 over his alleged role in the drop of arms from a plane in the Indian state of West Bengal.

The weapons were reportedly intended for the religious sect Ananda Marga.

The district court judge in Hillerod, north of Copenhagen, rejected the extradition, citing fears that Holck risked ill-treatment in India. The ruling was immediately appealed.

The Danish justice ministry earlier this year approved the extradition of Holck after securing assurances from India that he would not risk the death penalty and be allowed to serve a possible sentence in Denmark.

Other non-Indian nationals in the case, including a Briton and the crew of the plane used in the drop, have served jail terms in India.

Holck, 48, said he feared for his life if he was extradited. A few years ago he published a book titled “They Call Me A Terrorist”, where he touched on some of the motives for the arms drop.