Today’s news / Niels Holck not to be extradited To India
Niels Holck will not be extradited to India, the court in Hillerød ruled on Thursday. The verdict can be appealed to the Eastern High Court. (Archive photo). Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

Niels Holck not to be extradited To India

62-year-old Niels Holck will not be extradited to India following a decision by the City Court of Hillerød. In 1995, Holck was involved in dropping arms supplies to a rebel group in West Bengal, India. He escaped capture by Indian police and returned to Denmark via Nepal in 1996. Previous extradition proceedings in 2010 concluded against extradition due to the risk of torture. Despite new guarantees by India, including a special prison and Danish police accompaniment, the court ruled that extradition could still potentially lead to torture or degrading treatment, citing India’s non-ratification of the UN’s torture convention. The court decision was welcomed by Holck’s defense, anticipating a similar outcome in the High Court and hoping for the case’s conclusion. The prosecution will closely review the court’s rationale before deciding whether to appeal to the Eastern High Court.