Bail denied to 16 fishermen arrested with 217 kg heroin off Kerala coast

Fourteen persons from Tamil Nadu and two from Thiruvananthapuram -- travelling in the boats Little Jesus and Prince -- had pleaded innocence in the case.
After confirming the smuggling of heroin, both the boats were escorted to Kochi for further proceedings (Photo | Special arrangement)
After confirming the smuggling of heroin, both the boats were escorted to Kochi for further proceedings (Photo | Special arrangement)

KOCHI: The Ernakulam Additional Sessions Court has dismissed the bail petitions of 16 fishermen who were arrested by the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) following the seizure of 217.5kg of heroin from two fishing boats off the Kerala coast in May. Fourteen persons from Tamil Nadu and two from Thiruvananthapuram -- travelling in the boats Little Jesus and Prince -- had pleaded innocence in the case.

The Thiruvananthapuram natives are Sujan T, 28, of Pozhiyoor, and Francis D, 56, of Kottappuram. The DRI has arrested 25 persons, including a Sri Lanka national suspected to be the kingpin, from Chennai.

When the court considered the bail petitions last week, the accused persons claimed the contraband seized from the sea was not from the boats mentioned by DRI but from another small canoe, which the petitioners have no affiliation to, The substance was placed in the two boats by coast guard officials, the petition claimed.

However, the counsel for DRI submitted that both boats started sailing on April 28 but officers found no trace of fish during a search on the boats on May 20. As the heroin seized constituted a commercial quantity, the offence is non-bailable and the investigation is in the preliminary stage, the counsel argued.
The court maintained that the allegations against the petitioners are of a serious nature.

“It’s a settled position that in a case involving narcotic drug with commercial quantity, the court can grant bail if there is reasonable ground to believe that the accused is not guilty of such offence and that the accused is not likely to commit any offence while on bail. In the absence of any such ground, the bail cannot be granted,” the court said.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com