File photo: Captain Sunil James with his wife Aditi
Sunil James, a Merchant Navy Captain who was released yesterday from a jail in Togo, western Africa, has reached Mumbai. His family has been waiting for him to perform the last rites of his baby son Vivaan, who died on December 2.
Captain James, who arrived in India early this morning, was released after five months, along with another sailor Vijayan, after India's High Commissioner in Ghana, K Jeeva Sagar, met Togo's President Faure Gnassingbe.
Captain James was arrested by Togo in July on charges of helping pirates who had attacked and looted his ship, MT Ocean Centurion, near the tiny African country that borders Ghana. His family had been making desperate attempts to secure his release since then.
On December 2, his 11-month-old son, Vivaan, died of septicemia. The family had refused to perform the infant's last rites till his father had seen him one last time. The baby's body has been kept in a morgue in Mumbai.
Last week, Captain James' family met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek his help in getting the Mumbai sailor freed.
"It was a very sad incident. I am grateful to the officials who worked hard for the release," Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid said.
The family has accused the Indian government of not stepping in soon enough to secure his release. It has alleged that Mr James was tortured by the pirates and has also lost 15 kg in the custody of the Togo police.