Indian merchant ship captain, Sunil James, landed in Mumbai on Friday after his release from Togo where he spent almost five months in jail for allegedly aiding pirates.
"Whatever has happened is in the past, justice has prevailed thanks to the PMO's intervention," James told reporters outside the Mumbai airport.
James thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister's Office, member of Parliament Sanjay Nirupam and the Indian community in Togo for their help in securing his release.
"I have come here as a father, please respect that," he said.
James and another sailor were released on Thursday.
India was in touch with authorities in Togo to secure James' release on compassionate ground after his 11-month-old son died on December 2.
His wife Aditi and other family members met the Prime Minister on December 10 seeking his early release so that he could return home for the last rites of Vivaan.
Vivaan underwent an operation for intestinal gangrene but doctors could not save him as the infection had spread to his bloodstream. His body has been kept in a hospital morgue.
James had stopped in the west African country to report an attack on his ship MT Ocean Centurion by pirates when he was arrested on July 31, along with two other crew members, for allegedly aiding the pirates.
{{/usCountry}}James had stopped in the west African country to report an attack on his ship MT Ocean Centurion by pirates when he was arrested on July 31, along with two other crew members, for allegedly aiding the pirates.
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