The family of merchant navy captain Sunil James (28) will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi Tuesday to secure his release from a month-long detention in Togo,where he is facing charges of abetting pirates. The family and the Sunils employers have been pressing for his release on compassionate grounds following the death of his 11-month-old son Vivaan last week. Rakesh Madappa,Sunils brother-in-law,said they did not want to deny Sunil the right to bury his son. Sunil and two of his colleagues,aboard MT Ocean Centurion,have been detained by authorities in the west African country since July this year. The James family has pinned their hopes on an intervention from the Prime Minister. The audience with the Prime Minister was secured after the family approached Malad MLA Aslam Shaikh on Saturday. He listened to us patiently and set up an appointment with MP Sanjay Nirupam. After meeting him,his office wrote to the PMO and secured an appointment. Sunils wife Aditi,her sister Avni,and I will meet the PM at noon Tuesday, said Madappa. The family has also expressed a desire to meet the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. According to Nirupam,only political intervention can secure Sunils release. This is a sensitive and delicate issue. Once the head of the country speaks to his Togo counterpart,we can free Sunil,who is an illegal captive there, he said. srinath.rao@expressindia.com
