Chennai Six: Britons released from Indian jail
Six British former soldiers have been released from an Indian prison four years after being arrested and detained on weapons charges.
The so-called Chennai Six, who had been guards on a ship to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean, won an appeal against their convictions on Monday.
They have now been escorted out of Chennai Central Prison by British consulate officials.
They said they were discussing the next step with the Indian authorities.
Lawyers representing the men say they will have to spend some more time in India before they can expect to return home.
The men, who were working on the anti-piracy ship MV Seaman Guard Ohio, are:
- Nick Dunn from Ashington, Northumberland
- Billy Irving from Connel, Argyll
- Ray Tindall from Chester
- Paul Towers from Pocklington, East Yorkshire
- John Armstrong from Wigton, Cumbria
- Nicholas Simpson from Catterick, North Yorkshire
They were arrested in 2013, after customs officials and police found weapons and ammunition on board, which Indian authorities said had not been properly declared.
Initially charges were quashed, when the men argued that the weapons were lawfully held for anti-piracy purposes and the paperwork, issued by the UK government, was in order.
But a lower court reinstated the prosecution and in January 2016 were sentenced to five years in prison.
The men's families welcomed the acquittal, and many expressed hope that the men would be home by Christmas.
A British consulate spokesman said: "The government shares their happiness.
"We are working with the Indian authorities to discuss the next step and we will continue to offer the men and their families consular assistance for as long as needed."
