Bhubaneswar: An American engineer was arrested at Biju Patnaik airport here today on the charge of carrying live ammunition in his bag. The US national from whom eight live bullets were seized was identified as William Michel, an engineer with a US-based company. William was nabbed when he was about to leave for Paradip by a special chartered flight, police said.

Police said William had arrived in the city last evening and stayed at a private hotel here. The bullets were found in his possession when the airport security personnel frisked him before boarding of the flight for Paradip on Wednesday. The airport scanner machine traced eight 0.22 mm bullets in William's luggage and the CISF personnel informed the local police when the US national failed to give satisfactory reply.

The cops immediately took him to the police station and seized the bullets. They are questioning him to elicit more information, they said. "William is being interrogated and would be forwarded to court soon. His travel documents are also being examined," Deputy Commissioner of Police Nitinjeet Singh said. US diplomatic mission has been informed about arrest of William, held under provisions of Arms Act, police said.

Police said details about the foreigner will be known only after interrogation. Meanwhile, Michel has pleaded

ignorance about existence of live cartridges in his bag. "I have no bad intentions and I have made a mistake.

Actually, I forgot and this was inside my bag," he told reporters. "I am sorry I forgot...I have made all the way here via Holland and also Delhi and the bag was checked by Customs in all the places," he said. William's claim that his bag has escaped regular checking at Delhi airport has surprised the police here.