MUMBAI: American expatriate Kenneth Haywood, who left India suddenly while facing a probe in connection with the Ahmedabad serial blasts, returned to the city and said he never fled as he appeared before the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

Returning after nearly a month, Haywood, against whom a lookout notice was issued, said he has been given a clean chit. Haywood was under investigation after a threatening e-mail sent before the July 26 blasts was traced to Haywood's wireless internet connection at his residence in Navi Mumbai.

Haywood said he had only gone back for a short break. His sudden exit under mysterious circumstances on August 17 kicked up a controversy. The US national, who is employed with a multinational firm in Navi Mumbai, said he was never a "suspect" and that he will continue with his business and will stay on in India.

Haywood met officials of Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and gave a written statement denying that he had made an allegation of one of its officers demanding a bribe to clear him in the case.

"Haywood came voluntarily to the ATS where he gave a written statement stating that reports, where he had alleged a police official had demanded a bribe, were fabricated," Additional Commissioner of Police (ATS) Param Bir Singh said.

Haywood declined to speak to journalists at the ATS office but his lawyer said his client did not know he had evaded a lookout notice issued for him.

"He did not know he was evading the look-out notice and came to talk about it with the ATS," Haywood's lawyer G S Hegde said, adding his client had gone to US to "take rest".

ATS officials said they had not sought any explanation from Haywood about leaving the country without informing them and said he was now free to travel anywhere he wanted.

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