Kolkata, May 15: The commencement of trial of British national Peter Bleach, serving life sentence in the Purulia arms drop case, for allegedly assaulting a fellow prisoner was adjourned today as he could not be produced in court due to illness. Bleach, to be produced in the court of metropolitan magistrate Swadesh Ranjan Roy, could not be brought as he was ill, public prosecutor for 11th court K C Das said.

Bleach earlier preferred a revision after the magistrate refused to quash the charge of assault of a co-prisoner following a plea by the accused on the ground that the charges were concocted and meant to harass him.

The city police had filed the case against Bleach on the basis of a complaint by presidency jail authorities that he assaulted fellow prisoner Kamal Raut in the jail on April 5.

Bleach is the only remaining convict of the sensational 1995 Purulia arms drop case as the five Latvians, who had been convicted along with him, have been released following presidential clemency.

Bureau Report