Bhubaneswar, Jan. 17: Orissa High Court today quashed the FIR, the charges and criminal proceedings arising out of it against US national William Hurtubise.

Hurtubise was arrested with bullets at Biju Patnaik Airport in September last year and was facing trial in a Bhubaneswar court. The court held that police action was taken “without application of mind” and without giving Hurtubise opportunity to explain the alleged possession of bullets.

“Mere possession of bullets does not constitute a crime as the possession has to be proved or seen by the police with “requisite mental ability of conscious possession”, the court ruled.