Arms dealer loses India appeal

Peter Bleach (C) says he will appeal to a higher court

By Subir Bhaumik BBC correspondent in Calcutta

The High Court in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta has rejected an appeal by a British arms dealer, Peter Bleach, who was seeking release from jail.

Bleach had alleged he was discriminated in the case, since five Russian air crew convicted on charges similar to his have already been freed.

He and the five Russians were arrested in December 1995, four days after they had dropped a large consignment of weapons over Purulia in West Bengal state.

After years of investigation, it is still not clear who the weapons were intended for.

Uncertain legal ground

At the end of hearings lasting about a year in the case, Justice Ashok Kumar Ganguly of the Calcutta High Court rejected Mr Bleach's petition on Friday.

The Russians were pardoned and released

The judge said the five Russians had been released because the Indian president had exercised his special powers of pardon to grant them freedom.

Justice Ganguly said the exercise of presidential pardon was clearly beyond the jurisdiction of Indian courts.

But Mr Bleach says he will appeal against this verdict in a higher court - although he did not make clear on what legal grounds.

'No co-operation'

The British Government has repeatedly asked Delhi to release Peter Bleach, who has been diagnosed with tuberculosis.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw raised the matter with Indian leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, during recent visits to India, but to no avail.

Although Peter Bleach and the Russian air crew were arrested on charges of dropping arms, the alleged mastermind of the conspiracy, Danish national Niels Christien Nielson, has never been brought to justice.

Indian police say they have evidence that the Dane, alias Kim Davy, is in Denmark but complain they have received no co-operation from Copenhagen on extraditing him to stand trial in India.