Six jailed for life in Calcutta over large arms drop

AN Indian court yesterday sentenced a former British army officer and five Latvians to life imprisonment for sedition, four years after they air-dropped a large cache of arms near the headquarters of a Hindu cult organisation in eastern Bengal state.

The Calcutta court also fined Peter Bleach, a pilot and alleged arms dealer who is believed to have connections with British intelligence, and the five Latvians 60,000 rupees ($1,395) each.

Bleach said he would appeal. "It is a conviction based on false evidence," he said.

The six were arrested and charged with sedition after Indian Air Force jets forced their Antonov 26 transport plane to land in Bombay after the mysterious midnight arms drop by parachutes on December 17th, 1995, in Bengal's Purulia district, where the headquarters of the once-outlawed Ananda Marg (Happy Path) sect is located.

Justice P.K. Biswas said Bleach had been part of "an international conspiracy to overthrow the democratically elected government of Bengal". He said it was "the first time in the history of this country that such a crime has been committed".

The weaponry, which included 250 AK-47/AK-56 assault rifles, 10 rocket launchers, 65 hand grenades, 11 9mm pistols, 78 antitank grenades and thousands of rounds of ammunition, is believed to have been supplied by a Danish company.

Initially the arms were thought to have been intended for the Ananda Marg group, although the precise motive behind the operation remains shrouded in secrecy even after the two-year trial.

Kim Davey, another man variously described as a Danish national, New Zealander, an Englishman and even an American working for the CIA, was on board when the Antonov was forced to land in Bombay.

Believed by Indian police to be the mastermind behind the arms delivery, Davey managed to escape.

The Anatov took off from Bulgaria, where the arms were loaded, and flew to India via Karachi, Pakistan. After making the arms drop it went to Thailand.

On its return journey five days later air force jets forced the aircraft to land over Indian air space and all those aboard were arrested. Davy, however, managed to mingle with the airport staff and make his getaway.

Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) welcomed the judgment.