Chennai: Reacting to reports that British Prime Minister is planning to take up the issue of six Britons convicted and jailed in Puzhal prison in connection with the MV Seaman Guard Ohio case, during the upcoming meeting with her Indian counterpart, a senior police officer here said that appeal by the convicted persons is pending in the Madurai high court.
“A Thoothukudi court had convicted them along with others including 19 Indian and 14 Estonians and 2 Ukrainians for five years jail term in January this year. The Madurai high court will examine their appeal and do accordingly. Let them fight it out in court and secure release,” a senior police officer said.
“We treat all the suspects in same manner. Just because they are ex-servicemen from UK, we can’t take them off from the accused list. Even 19 Indians are also languishing in jails in connection with the same case,” police said.
The10 member crew and 25 armed guards of MV Seaman Guard Ohio, an anti-piracy vessel, were detained on October 12, 2013, by the Indian Coast Guard off Thoothukudi coast and later handed over to the Tamil Nadu police for entering the Indian waters with deadly arms without declaring it.
The list of guns found in the ship include at least two hi-tech SAIG M3 semi automatic riffles, two Benneli MR semi automatic rifles, 11 L1A1 self loading rifles, five CZ 853 semi automatic rifles, four Browning longtarc semi automatic rifles, six G3 automatic rifles and Glock semi automatic pistol among other items including a good stock of magazines and cartridges.
These weapons, made in countries like Belgium, Czech, Russia, Germany, Italy, Austria and Australia are commonly used in hunting, long range shooting against enemies in the border and also by snipers.
