Willy Naru, first Thai national extradited to India, convicted in arms case

A Delhi court has convicted Thai national Willy Naru, the first Thai citizen extradited to India, for conspiring to procure sophisticated arms and ammunition from China through Bangladesh for the Naga insurgent group NSCN (IM), officials said.

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team brought Thai national and alleged gunrunner Wuthikorn Naruenartwanich alias Willy Naru to IndiaThe 600-page judgment, made available on Friday, held that evidence including Naru’s meetings, foreign travel and communications established his involvement in the alleged arms procurement network.

Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Judge Prashant Sharma of Rouse Avenue Courts convicted Naru, formally known as Wuthikorn Naruenartwanich, under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 122 (collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against the Government of India) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The matter has been fixed for arguments on sentence on September 29. The NIA registered the case on December 18, 2020, and filed the chargesheet against Shimray, Calvin, Tangkhul and Naru on March 26, 2011. The court said, “The surrounding circumstances, including the meetings, repeated foreign travel, communications concerning shipment of arms and ammunition, and the evidence regarding the activities and organisational structure of NSCN(IM), when considered cumulatively, lend corroboration to the prosecution case regarding the involvement of A-4 (Naru) in the procurement and facilitation of arms and ammunition for NSCN(IM).” It added, “The evidence further establishes the role of A-1 (Shimray) and A-4 in communicating with persons associated with NSCN(IM) in connection with the procurement and transportation of a substantial quantity of sophisticated arms and ammunition from China through Bangladesh”.

Naru became a key figure in the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) investigation into an alleged international arms-procurement network linking NSCN (IM), Chinese arms suppliers, Thailand and a proposed route through Bangladesh into India’s Northeast.

According to the NIA, Naru helped arrange the proposed procurement of around 800 weapons, including 600 AK-series rifles, 9mm sub-machine guns, light machine guns and pistols, besides one lakh rounds of ammunition. The deal was initially estimated at $1 million but was allegedly finalised at $1.2 million, including $200,000 towards transshipment, according to the agency.

The agency alleged that the weapons were to be loaded at Beihei port in southern China and delivered on the high seas near Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, where they would be transferred to smaller fishing trawlers for onward movement.

The proposed consignment included AK-series rifles, light machine guns, pistols, sniper rifles, rocket-propelled launchers, grenade launchers and ammunition. The prosecution also alleged procurement of TNT and RDX. The NIA alleged that the deal was ultimately postponed in September 2010 because the “ground situation in Bangladesh was not favourable” for NSCN (IM).

The agency alleged that $800,000 had nevertheless been paid to Naru. Naru, described by the NIA as a Thailand-based arms smuggler and procurer stationed in Bangkok, was charge-sheeted in 2011 along with NSCN (IM) functionaries Anthony Shimray, TR Calvin and Hangshi Ramson Tangkhul.

The NIA alleged that the NSCN (IM) members had conspired to procure a huge consignment of arms and ammunition, while Naru assisted them as an arms procurer and became a co-conspirator. The agency’s case was that NSCN (IM) had faced a shortage of weapons after one of its senior leaders, Azetho Sumi, allegedly deserted the outfit in 2007 and joined NSCN (K), taking 70-80 weapons with him.

The shortage allegedly prompted the outfit to explore a fresh bulk procurement. According to the NIA, Shimray and Calvin were introduced to Naru through a protected witness in Bangkok. Shimray allegedly told Naru that he wanted to procure a large quantity of weapons, including AK-series rifles, light machine guns, pistols, rocket-propelled grenades, rocket launchers and ammunition.

The agency alleged that Naru arranged the procurement through a Chinese arms company, TCL, and introduced the NSCN (IM) representatives to its representative. The NIA also alleged that the proposed transaction was part of a wider pattern in which NSCN (IM) procured arms from China.

The agency had alleged that the outfit regularly sourced arms from China, including from NORINCO (North China Industries Corporation).