Thai gunrunner wanted by NIA held in Bangkok

NEW DELHI: A Thai national wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for supplying arms to Naga insurgent groups has been arrested by Bangkok police. An NIA team is camping in Bangkok to question the accused and extradite him in the next few days. Wuthikorn Naruenartwanich alias Willy, 57, was arrested at his home in Bangkok on Friday based on a red corner notice issued by India against him.Willy is accused of buying nearly 1,000 assault rifles and an unspecified number of rocket-propelled grenades to be sold to Naga rebels.According to a chargesheet filed by NIA in April 2011 against NSCN (IM) leader Anthony Shimray, the Naga insurgent outfit's arms procurer, and three others including Willy, Shimray told Willy that he wanted to procure 1,000 firearms, including AK series rifles, machine guns, rocket launchers and ammunition.Willy, in turn, introduced them to a Chinese firm in 2007 for the same. The deal was to be done for $2 million but after consultation with the NSCN (IM) leadership in New Delhi, the firm agreed to sell the arms for $1 million.NIA chief Sharad Kumar told TOI, “An NIA team is in Bangkok and the extradition process is on.”This will be the first such exchange between the two countries after India signed an extradition treaty with Thailand following PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to that country last year. Sources said India had filed an official request with Thailand for Willy’s arrest.During his visit, Singh had raised the issue of Indian fugitives such as Munna Jhingada hiding in Thailand. Singh had described the signing of the treaty as a major boost to security cooperation between the two countries. The treaty was signed after two decades of negotiations.