India asks UAE to transfer case of sailors

Dubai, May 3 : India is making renewed efforts toget the UAE to transfer a case involving seven Indian sailors accused of killing a colleague on board a merchant vessel, to their home country, as the incident occurred in international waters.

The sailors are currently being held in the Fujairah emirate jail in connection with the death of Sudhir Nonia Jagannath, who died under mysterious circumstances on board a merchant vessel on February 6.

''We had sent the request a month ago and we have renewed it,'' an Indian embassy official told Emirates today.

''It would be convenient and appropriate if the case were to be tried in India. The UAE foreign office has said that they are investigating the matter,''he said.

''The next date for the case is May 14. In the last hearing, both the sides had presented their case,'' he said.

The sailors, including the captain, were arrested after the Norwegian-flagged ship, the Champion Pioneer berthed at Fujairah port.

The captain reported the incident to local authorities who then recovered the body. The incident happened in international waters.

The victim and the accused are all Indian citizens.

The captain of the ship Jitendra Malhotra, and six others were immediately taken into custody. The merchant ship had set sail from Mangalore port on January 28 on a multi-stop voyage with the crew on board.

UNI