CONVICTED arms dealer Peter Bleach has claimed that a conspiracy to keep him in an Indian prison is being run through the country's newspapers.

In a letter to the British Deputy High Commission, Bleach claims that reports of sightings of a man accused with him are fictitious.

Kim Davy is accused of leading the arms drop to rebels in West Bengal of which Bleach was convicted. He has never been caught, but new reports say that he has been seen in the Sudan.

"This is just the latest in a long string of similar incidents," said Bleach, a former pupil of St Peter's School, in York, who formerly lived at Fylingthorpe, near Whitby.

"You must have noticed that, whenever the British Government makes an effort to obtain my release, the (Indian security service) responds by planting false and misleading stories in the press."

Bleach has been in an Indian prison for more than six years.

An appeal against his conviction has been halted as he fights to recover from TB and pneumonia, but Prime Minister Tony Blair has spoken to India's Prime Minister about the case.

The Indian Government released five Latvians jailed with Bleach after their president intervened. Bleach is the only person still in prison in connection with the crime.

Richard Stansfield, a friend of Bleach's, said: "Every time there seems to be a possibility of a reprieve for Peter, the (security service) comes up with another fanciful story.

"Their ploy is that, if Davy really was about to be arrested, then Peter would be a good witness, so it is essential to keep him locked up. The Davy sightings are as wild as Elvis Presley ones."

The most recent stories say Davy has been spotted in the Sudan, and has links with an organisation associated with Osama bin Laden.

Bleach said: "It is simply outrageous beyond words that ... an attempt should be made to link me in any way to bin Laden.

"Not only is this specifically designed to damage British Government efforts to secure my release, but it is also grossly prejudicial to my appeal."

Updated: 08:48 Tuesday, April 02, 2002