HC allows state to sell off plane that dropped arms in Purulia

Kolkata, April 16 The Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government on Wednesday to remove the cargo aircraft that was used for airdropping arms and ammunition in Purulia district on December 17, 1995, from the Sahar terminal of the Chhatrapati Shivaji airport in Mumbai within six weeks.

A Division Bench of Justices D P Sengupta and P K Deb also allowed the government to sell off the aircraft and deposit the money in its exchequer.

The aircraft has been stranded at the Mumbai airport ever since the CID, West Bengal, confiscated it after it had been intercepted by the Indian Air Force in December 1995.

The Mumbai International Airport Company had moved the Calcutta High Court seeking an order to remove or sell out the aircraft.

Advocate Milan Mukherjee, counsel for the company, moved a plea saying the modernisation programme of the airport could not be started because of the aircraft’s presence.

Advocate-General Bolai Roy said the state government was keen to sell off the Russian AN-32 aircraft.

During hearing, it was revealed that the value of the aircraft was only Rs 10.89 lakh.

According to a government valuer appointed by the airport authority, the aircraft has already lost its aviation capability.

Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb said he has not received a copy of the order yet. The state government would have to appoint auctioneers to sell the aircraft, he added.