NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: One of the three US-sanctioned, Iran-linked oil tankers seized by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on February 6 had spent eight days inside Pakistan’s maritime boundary with its tracking systems switched off, according to an FIR registered in Mumbai.
The ICG intercepted three vessels — MT Asphalt Star, MT Stellar Ruby and MT Al Jafzia — about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai. A complaint was filed on February 15 at Yellow Gate police station against nine individuals, including the alleged owner of the ships, for suspected illegal activities and smuggling oil linked to Iran. The three vessels had a total of 55 crew members on board.
Based on a complaint by ICG Commandant Aniruddha Dharampal Dabash (40), Mumbai Police registered an FIR and arrested the captain of MT Asphalt Star and another crew member for alleged oil smuggling and forgery.
According to the FIR, the vessel’s Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) data was examined by Assistant Commandant P. Siddharth Ratnam. The analysis showed that between January 20 and January 28, MT Asphalt Star had entered Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The FIR further states that on January 28 at around 11 am, the vessel switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS), Very High Frequency (VHF) communication system and other sensors, allegedly concealing its identity while carrying out suspicious movements. During questioning, the ship’s master reportedly said the Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) had stopped functioning. Investigators allege that all three ships used AIS spoofing and false identity data to evade detection.
Jogendar Singh Brar, an Indian national currently based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and said to be the owner of the vessels, has been named as one of the accused.
The Coast Guard’s specialist boarding team, through detailed searches, examination of onboard electronic data, document verification and crew interrogation, reportedly uncovered the alleged modus operandi.
“We have arrested Shyam Bahadur Chauhan and one more person in this case. They were produced before a court and remanded to police custody till February 23,” a police officer said. Chauhan is the master of MT Asphalt Star.
Meanwhile, media reports from the UAE quoted Brar as claiming that the ships were supplying essential provisions to vessels in distress far from the Indian coast and were not involved in any illegal activity.
The FIR also alleges that MT Asphalt Star illegally transferred 30 metric tonnes of heavy fuel oil to MT Al Jafzia within the Indian Ocean EEZ through a ship-to-ship operation without informing Indian authorities. Additionally, it allegedly transferred 5,473 metric tonnes of bitumen — used in road construction — to MT Stellar Ruby without the required permissions.
