New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today (Dec 24, 2003) granted bail to former US diplomat Charles Raymond Garder, who was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in Delhi last week with antique weapons that he claimed to have purchased from Kabul.

Justice Vijender Jain ordered the release of 72-year-old Garder on a personal bond of Rs one lakh and two sureties of the same amount after the police said, he was not needed for custodial interrogation.

The court directed him not to leave the country without the permission of the trial court.

US Embassy Consular Nyda Budig, who was present in the court during the proceedings, undertook not to issue any fresh travel documents to the accused, whose passport has been seized by the police.

Additional sessions judge Deepa Sharma had on December 20 rejected Garder's bail plea after he failed to produce any evidence to prove that the weapons were actually bought from Kabul and he had been authorised by Afghan authorities to carry the same to the US.

The Customs authorities had arrested the former US diplomat under the Arms Act on his arrival in Delhi on an Ariana Airlines flight from Kabul on December 18 after they detected eight antique weapons in his possession.

Garder claimed he had bought them from Government Museum in Afghanistan and had papers to prove that the objects were not such as should not be taken to US. However, police alleged that he walked through green channel without declaring the goods.