THOOTHUKUDI: A Sri Lankan court on Tuesday imposed a penalty of 3.5 crore LKR (Rs 98.3 lakh) on 12 Tamil Nadu fishermen who were arrested by the Lankan Navy on August 5 on the charges of trespassing and illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters. If the fishers fail to pay the fine, they will be made to undergo a six-month jail term, the court ruled.
According to sources, the Lankan Navy arrested 22 fishermen, who set sail for fishing on two vessels from Tharuvaikulam fishing harbour in Thoothukudi, near Kuthiraimalai in mid-sea on August 5.
While 12 fishermen were onboard the vessel owned by Anthony Maharaja, 10 fishermen were travelling on a vessel owned by Anthony Thean Denila. The fishers have been in court custody since August 6. Judgment related to the other 10 arrested fishers will be pronounced later, the court said.
Lankan sources said the penalty of 3.5 crore LKR includes 2 crore LKR for illegal trespass into Sri Lankan waters and 1.5 crore LKR for illegal fishing. The court has not issued any order regarding the two seized boats, sources said.
In the case related to the 10 fishermen, sources said the lawyer who argued on behalf of the Sri Lankan state urged the court to include the owner of the boat, Denila, in the case. However, Indian embassy officials strongly opposed that saying she is innocent. The court had adjourned the case to September 10, sources said.
Recently, a court in Mannar had fined two fishing vessels 40 lakh LKR each. Nine TN fishers were also arrested in the case. The court later ordered seizure of the vessel, sentenced two drivers of the boats to jail and released seven others. The Lankan government had passed a law to nationalise foreign vessels apprehended for illegal fishing. Nearly 177 Indian boats have been nationalised by Sri Lanka over the years, sources said.