US man held for carring bullets freed on bail

An American engineer who was arrested Sep 18 from Odisha capital Bhubaneswar for possessing eight bullets, was released on bail, his lawyer said Tuesday.

William Michael Hurtubise, 25, was released Monday evening after he fulfilled the bail condition, his lawyer R.K. Das said.

Hurtubise was granted conditional bail by the additional district judge in Bhubaneswar Oct 9 against a bail bond and a cash surety of Rs.50,000. The court also asked him to surrender his passport and visa and not to leave the country until the trial was complete.

"He could not be released earlier following delay in arrangement of bail bond and surety amount," Das said.

Hurtubise, an engineer with US-based SPX Service, was found carrying the bullets just before his scheduled departure on a chartered chopper from the state capital Sep 18.

He was hired by an offshore drilling contractor to inspect an engine at a drilling rig in the Bay of Bengal near the port town of Paradip, about 100 km from Bhubaneswar, police said.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) staff found the 0.22 mm bullets in one of his bags during the security check at the airport. He was not carrying any fire-arm. The CISF later handed him over to police.

"I had no bad intention. It was a mistake on my part," Hurtubise told police.

He said he possesses an arm license in the US and unknowingly carried the bullets.