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6 foreigners convicted in Purulia arms drop case

Mohammad Javed R in Calcutta

All the six foreigners accused in the Purulia arms drop case of December 17, 1995, have been held guilty under section 121(A) of the Indian Penal Code. They are now liable to be sentenced for a minimum of 10 years in prison. The maximum term under this section is life imprisonment. The sentence will be pronounced on Wednesday, February 2.

Delivering his verdict, Judge P K Biswas of the Calcutta civil court acquitted British national Peter Bleach and his five Latvian associates of the charges under sections 121 (waging war against the Indian State) and 122 (procuring arms for waging war against the Indian State) for lack of evidence. But the judge held them guilty under section 121(A), which relates to the charge of abetting [the Ananda Margis in this case] to wage war against the State.

But Sisir Ghosh, counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation, refused to admit that the agency had failed to substantiate the charges levelled against the accused under sections 121 and 122. "It's not that there is no evidence. The court felt that there isn't sufficient evidence against the six accused under sections 121 and 122. But it has found enough offences under the Arms Act, Indian Aircraft Act, and Explosives Act."

CBI officer Loknath Behera parried a question about whether the agency would appeal against the verdict to the high court, pleading that they were yet to receive a copy of the judgment.

Interestingly, the only Indian accused in the case, Vinay Singh, has been acquitted of all the charges. But Behera said he would not be released as he is under trial in a Bihar court as well. "We will now hand him over to the Bihar police," the officer said.

Earlier, the accused men were brought to the court under tight security. Reporters were not allowed to speak to any of them. Bleach, attired smartly in a sky blue suit, appeared composed. He has argued his own case in court. While being taken inside, he declared that he had full faith in the Indian judiciary.

Later, Shyamal Ghosh, counsel for the five Latvians, told rediff.com that he wasn't totally satisfied with the verdict. "That the court failed to find my clients guilty under IPC 121 and 122 shows that the CBI's chargesheet was imaginary. I will now move the high court."

But some important questions remain unanswered, especially about the origin of the arms consignment and the mastermind of the conspiracy.

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