London:
The wife of one of the two British planespotters arrested in Delhi has made a heartfelt plea for their release, after reports from India said the duo had been charged under the Indian Telegraph Act.
Stephen Hampston, 46, and Steve Martin, 55, were arrested on February 15 at the Radisson Hotel in Delhi, which overlooks the city's international airport.
The two carried scanners and other equipment to trace aircrafts as part of their hobby of plane spotting.
Staff at the hotel had raised the alarm after the Britons, who are both railway workers in Bristol, asked for a room overlooking the runway.
Making a plea for Martin's release, his wife Dorothy, said: "I'm worried sick. I'm anxious and I can't understand why no one from the Foreign Office has contacted me. The first time I spoke to Steve was on Friday".
"He was really, really down and crying. For all the years I've been with him, I've never known him to cry".
"I don't blame the Indian authorities. They're just doing their job. But I just need someone to get in touch and give me some information. He doesn't even take pictures of the planes. All he does is take the number," she added.
Meanwhile, the duo were today granted bail by a Delhi court which has fixed the matter for further hearing on March 2. They have been asked not to leave India without the permission of the court.
Dan Norris, MP from Wansdyke, said there had been a lot of confusion over whether the two had been released over the weekend.
After speaking to Hampton's lawyer, he understood that the two had been charged because a scanner they used to identify planes had transgressed Indian law.
"We're concerned Indian authorities could want to make an example of them," said Norris.
Foreign Office spokeswoman Hannah Watson said, "We can confirm that two British nationals were arrested in India on February 15 on suspicion of monitoring flights at Delhi international airport".
"The Foreign Office cannot interfere in an ongoing police investigation nor can we secure their release. The British High Commission has raised the case with Indian authorities, though we are restricted in the representations we can make as we cannot interfere in the Indian judicial system," she added.
Consular staff has been in regular contact with both British nationals and continue to provide consular assistance, the spokeswoman said, adding all developments were being informed to their families.
Stephen Hampston, 46, and Steve Martin, 55, were arrested on February 15 at the Radisson Hotel in Delhi, which overlooks the city's international airport.
The two carried scanners and other equipment to trace aircrafts as part of their hobby of plane spotting.
Staff at the hotel had raised the alarm after the Britons, who are both railway workers in Bristol, asked for a room overlooking the runway.
Making a plea for Martin's release, his wife Dorothy, said: "I'm worried sick. I'm anxious and I can't understand why no one from the Foreign Office has contacted me. The first time I spoke to Steve was on Friday".
"He was really, really down and crying. For all the years I've been with him, I've never known him to cry".
"I don't blame the Indian authorities. They're just doing their job. But I just need someone to get in touch and give me some information. He doesn't even take pictures of the planes. All he does is take the number," she added.
Meanwhile, the duo were today granted bail by a Delhi court which has fixed the matter for further hearing on March 2. They have been asked not to leave India without the permission of the court.
Dan Norris, MP from Wansdyke, said there had been a lot of confusion over whether the two had been released over the weekend.
After speaking to Hampton's lawyer, he understood that the two had been charged because a scanner they used to identify planes had transgressed Indian law.
"We're concerned Indian authorities could want to make an example of them," said Norris.
Foreign Office spokeswoman Hannah Watson said, "We can confirm that two British nationals were arrested in India on February 15 on suspicion of monitoring flights at Delhi international airport".
"The Foreign Office cannot interfere in an ongoing police investigation nor can we secure their release. The British High Commission has raised the case with Indian authorities, though we are restricted in the representations we can make as we cannot interfere in the Indian judicial system," she added.
Consular staff has been in regular contact with both British nationals and continue to provide consular assistance, the spokeswoman said, adding all developments were being informed to their families.
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