India to ask Denmark for Davy's extradition

NEW DELHI: Disappointed with a Danish court’s refusal to extradite Purulia arms drop case accused Kim Davy over human rights concerns, India on Wednesday rejected apprehensions of torture and rights violations in its prisons and said it was working on persuading Danish authorities to appeal against the recent order.

“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,” Home Minister P Chidambaram told media persons here while presenting the report card of his ministry for June.

He was replying to a question on the refusal of the Danish High Court to allow the extradition of Davy to India to face trial, saying he ran the risk of “torture or other inhumane treatment”. Rejecting the argument, Chidambaram said Davy would be tried in an open court here. “He will be produced before the court everyday. He will have consular access. He can always tell the judge that he needs to be medically examined. If there is any violation of human rights, he can complain the next morning when he is brought to the court,” he said.

Chidambaram said he has written to External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, making all these points and requesting him to impress on the Government of Denmark that they should immediately file an appeal in a higher court there. “There is an appeal still available. There is a deadline to file the appeal and I am sure the Ministry of External Affairs will take it up with the Denmark Government to file an appeal in the highest court of the country,” he said.

On a recent report in New York Times about a former militant commander’s account that 12,000 to 14,000 Kashmiris were being held in reserve in Pakistan for fight against India, Chidambaram said the claim was highly exaggerated.