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UK to press for release of Peter Bleach

Britain will press the Indian government to release businessman Peter Bleach, a British national, jailed for life in Calcutta in the sensational Purulia arms drop case, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported on Sunday. British Home Secretary Jack Straw will raise the case of Bleach, 48, during his visit to India in September, it said.

The report came a day after New Delhi announced its decision to release five Latvians convicted along with Bleach in the arms drop case in February 1995.

A home office official said on Saturday that night Straw would aim to achieve something similar for Yorkshire-born Bleach who was convicted of 'conspiring to wage war against India'.

Teddy Taylor, a Tory Member of Parliament, who has campaigned for Bleach's release, said, "this is good news. my hope is that Peter Bleach will, at least, be transferred to a prison in Britain where we can process the case further. A great injustice has been done and I hope this will soon be clear to everybody."

SEE ALSO
Purulia case: 5 Latvians released

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