Jailed Taiwanese crew move Kerala HC for release

Kochi, Sep 19 (UNI) The crew members of the Taiwanese ship Isabel-3 have moved the Kerala High Court seeking to quash the criminal case registered against them by the Kavarathi police in Lakshadweep.

The Lakshadweep Administration also filed a counter-affidavit in the case justifying the criminal case registered against the 33 crew members, who were in jail at Kavarathi since their ship ran aground a coral reef near the uninhabited Suheli Island on July 15.

Justice K R Udayabhanu adjourned the petition for hearing to tomorrow.

The Kavarathi police had registered a case against the crew of the Taiwanese ship for the offence of rash and negligent navigation endangering human life and also under the Indian Foreigners Act for unauthorised entry into Indian territorial waters.

The Taiwanese fishing vessel Isabel-3 had met with an accident on July 15, while it was sailing from Oman to Singapore.

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