A Judicial Magistrate court today declined to release the US-firm owned ship M V Seamen Guard Ohio which was detained by Coast Guard on October 11 last year off Tuticorin port on charges of trespassing in Indian waters and carrying arms and ammunition without licence.
Judicial Magistrate Kathiravan declined to release the ship without seeking permission from competent authorities.
Police arrested 35 crew members on October 18 and they remained in judicial custody for about six months. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had granted conditional bail to 33 crew members on March 26.
Meanwhile a petition was filed on behalf of the ship company to release the ship. However the Judicial Magistrate rejected the plea and declined to release the ship.
