New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS): The family of merchant navy captain Sunil James, who is under arrest in the west African country of Togo since July, Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek the government’s intervention for his early release.

Captain James' wife Aditi and her sister, accompanied by Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam, met the prime minister in his Parliament House office.

The family has been pressing for James release on compassionate grounds so that he can fly back to India to perform the last rites of his 11-month-old son Vivaan who died Dec 2.

James and two of his colleagues, on board MT Ocean Centurion, were detained by authorities in Togo July 31. James had stopped the ship to report an attack on MT Ocean Centurion by pirates when he was arrested for allegedly aiding the pirates.

“The prime minister was kind enough to reassure us of his full and final release, or at least for some time to attend the last rites,” said Aditi’s sister.

“He assured us his office will intervene at the highest level,” she said after meeting the prime minister.