Mumbai: The Juvenile Justice board (JJB) has ruled that the documents submitted by seven of the Somalian Pirates caught in March to show they were minors, were not genuine. The Consulate of Somalia has recalled the diplomat who submitted the records which were conflicting.
Meanwhile, the Board has now relied on the bone ossification test done by JJ hospital stating that they all are of 20 years. They have now been taken in judicial custody along with other accused.
As the eight of the 35 pirates caught by Indian Navy, claimed to be minors, the court had directed the JJB to conduct the inquiry. The seven accused through a member of Somalian Consulate submitted several documents to show that they were minors.
However, they could not obtained any documents to show one of them as minor hence he was subsequently taken into judicial custody. Hence, the board had to decide on the remaining seven accused, for whom documents were submitted to show they were minors.
During the inquiry by conducted by JJB, the counsel of the embassy of Somalia had sent a mail to the board stating that conflicting documents were submitted by the diplomat of the embassy without the knowledge and consent of the embassy.
It was claimed that issue came up when during the inquiry board members realised that physically the accused did not look minors so they ordered to interact with their parents. Thus, the matter reached the embassy to trace the family members of these accused.
The board was informed that after receiving the communication from the board, the embassy had conducted internal inquiry, wherein it was found that a diplomat had submitted conflicting records. Hence, by the order of the Government of Somalia, the diplomat was called back.
Thus, the board observed that the records such as school leaving certificate and birth certificate were not reliable. Hence the board relied on the Ossification test carried out by JJ hospital.
On Wednesday, the special public prosecutor, Ranjeet Sangle, submitted the order of the board clarifying that the seven of alleged pirates caught were not minors, hence he pleaded that they be taken into the custody of the court. The special court hence remanded them to judicial custody.
"Fabricated and conflicting documents were submitted by the defence counsel, before the Sessions Court to mislead that they were minor. However, the enquiry of the JJB has established that the plea taken was based on procured documents and that they are unreliable. As such medical examination and ossification test results are considered to be conclusive. Now all these accused pirates will be tried as Adults along with other pirates," Sangle said.
The 35 pirates were caught after an operation lasting over 40 hours that commenced in the early hours of March 15, wherein INS Kolkata intercepted Pirate Ship ex-MV Ruen in the Arabian Sea based on inputs received by Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre -Indian Ocean Region from UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations).
INS Kolkata, with the 35 apprehended pirates, returned to Mumbai on March 23. The pirates were handed over to the police for further legal action in accordance with Indian laws.
The exercise was undertaken as part of the ongoing Operation Sankalp, wherein Indian Navy ships are deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the safety of seafarers and mercantile trade passing through the region.
