HC Dispenses Invoking Of Arms Act Registered Against US Crew Members
About 9 months ago, a US ship with a cache of arms and ammunition was officially detailed at the Tuticorin coast. The ship was dubbed as‘floating armory’ by the security and intelligence personnel. However, putting an end to all conspiracy theories, the Madras High Court has finally quashed the criminal case against all crew members.
A petition was filed by the captain of the ship, Dudinik Valentyan, along with other crew members to quash invoking of Arms Act in response to the case registered by the Q branch police against them.
Justice P N Prakash in his judgment on the petition stated that it is mandatory for any foreign ship to inform the authorities while visiting India. But the US owned ship entered the Indian waters because of distress and in search of food and fuel.
The ship had anchored in the Tuticorin cost and was waiting for supplies. When the crew members of the ship where later questioned by the Coast Guard, they admitted that they carried fire arms and ammunitions with them on the ship.
He also stated that the officials did not find any valid evidences proving that the ship had entered Indian territorial waters with ulterior purposes. This is why the Arms Act against the ship crew members is quashed.
The US owned ship was taken into custody by the Coast Guard on October 11, 2013. Charges of trespassing into Indian waters and carrying unlicensed arms and ammunitions were levied against them. Subsequently, the crew members were arrested by the police on 18 October. The entire crew staff of about 35 members had remained under judicial custody for about six months.