Court extends custody of US citizens held with firearms

Court extends custody of US citizens held with firearms

Express news service

Posted online: Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 0135 hrs IST

Kolkata, April 19
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Siliguri has extended the judicial custody of two women, both US citizens, by 14 days. The women had been arrested at Bagdogra airport on April 14 for illegally carrying arms and ammunition.

The court has extended the judicial custody of 57-year-old Monica Bond and her 37-year-old daughter Heather Bond following an appeal by the prosecution that they needed more time to investigate the case.

“During police interrogation, the two women had said that they were carrying their personal arms and ammunition by mistake. They claimed to have licenses, but the documents they had produced were unreadable. Primary police investigation points out that they might have produced fake documents. We are investigating the case,” said K L Tamta, IG North Bengal.

Officials from the US Consul General’s office in Kolkata were also present during the hearing. On April 16, the court had rejected the bail application of the two California residents, and remanded the duo to three-days judicial custody.

The two women were arrested with a 9 mm pistol and 11 bullets before they were scheduled to board a Delhi-bound flight from Bagdogra airport. They were on a vacation in Darjeeling.

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Court extends custody of US citizens held with firearms Express news service Posted online: Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 0135 hrs IST Kolkata, April 19 The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Siliguri has extended the judicial custody of two women, both US citizens, by 14 days. The women had been arrested at Bagdogra airport on April 14 for illegally carrying arms and ammunition. The court has extended the judicial custody of 57-year-old Monica Bond and her 37-year-old daughter Heather Bond following an appeal by the prosecution that they needed more time to investigate the case. “During police interrogation, the two women had said that they were carrying their personal arms and ammunition by mistake. They claimed to have licenses, but the documents they had produced were unreadable. Primary police investigation points out that they might have produced fake documents. We are investigating the case,” said K L Tamta, IG North Bengal. Officials from the US Consul General’s office in Kolkata were also present during the hearing. On April 16, the court had rejected the bail application of the two California residents, and remanded the duo to three-days judicial custody. The two women were arrested with a 9 mm pistol and 11 bullets before they were scheduled to board a Delhi-bound flight from Bagdogra airport. They were on a vacation in Darjeeling.