m v seaman guard ohio

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Monday acquitted all 35 crew members and guards of the US anti-piracy ship Seaman Guard Ohio from all charges of the Arms Act.

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Monday said it would pass on November 27 its order on a batch of appeals filed by 35 crew members of the US-based anti-piracy ship Seaman Guard Ohio against the trial court’s verdict convicting them

The other 21 foreign crew members of the ship are lodged in the Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai and are expected to be released after completion of bail formalities.

The Madras high court Madurai bench on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or National Investigation Agency probe of 'm v seaman guard ohio,' the US-based anti-piracy ship.

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Monday reserved its order on the bail application filed by 35 members of m v seaman guard ohio ship that had allegedly entered the Indian waters with illegal arms.

The ship was detained on October 12 for carrying weapons and ammunition on board without authorization.

Cross-examination in a case against 35 crew members of the US anti-piracy vessel MV Seaman Guard Ohio commenced in the principal district court in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, on Monday.

Vessel's captain Dudinik Valentyn (65) and 34 others have jointly filed a single petition stating that the chargesheet did not make out any prima facie offence against them.

They also prayed the court to consider their petition for bail as more than 100 days have passed by and the final report been filed.

For the 33 crew members of US ship m v seaman guard ohio, arrested off Tuticorin in October last year for carrying weapons without permission in Indian waters, it has been a captive holiday in the city.

The ship was intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard off the Kanyakumari coast on October 11 and was detained and brought to Tuticorin. The ‘Q’ branch CID, Tuticorin, registered a case against 35 sailors on the ship and launched a probe.

The sessions court in Tuticorin on Wednesday dismissed the bail petition of 35 crew and security guards of Seaman Guard Ohio, who were arrested on charges of carrying arms and procuring diesel in a clandestine manner in Indian waters.

All the 35 members on board the US ship Seaman Guard Ohio, a floating armoury, were arrested by sleuths of Tamil Nadu's Q branch, a state intelligence wing, on Friday.

Madurai bench of the Madras high court.

In a major relief to the 35 crew members and guards of the US anti-piracy ship Seaman Guard Ohio, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Monday acquitted them of all charges under the Arms Act.

The US ship was detained for illegally entering Indian waters with arms and ammunition.