Close to a year after MSV Yusufi was intercepted by the Coast Guard four nautical miles off the coast of Mumbai, the trial in the case is expected to begin soon. The Mumbai Police has charged the vessel’s crew with misleading officers about their destination and deliberately disposing of a banned Thuraya satellite phone handset. The Yellow Gate police filed the chargesheet at the Ballard Pier Court in February. “The court has framed charges against the accused and served them a summons,” said Pandurang Dhoke, senior inspector. The Indian Coast Guard Regional Headquarters in Worli first detected a suspicious vessel travelling towards Mumbai at 6 pm on April 3 last year and intercepted at 1 am on April 4 at Prong’s Lighthouse. The five-member crew was identified as Iqbal Hasam Romi, the vessel’s master, Abdul Usman, the engine driver, Bholim Hasam, the cook and two sailors, Yakub Thakana and Ahmad Adam Paleja. All are natives of Mandvi in Gujarat. The police later arrested Usman Aani Chorwadwala, a businessman from Pydhonie and the alleged handler of the vessel. According to the chargesheet, Romi first told Coast Guard Assistant Commandant Mohmmad Akrab Khan that he was headed for Colombo from Dubai and diverted his route to Hay Bunder in Mumbai due to engine failure. A technical inspection of the vessel by the Mercantile Marine Department, Mumbai, rejected Romi’s claims of engine failure. “Following inquiries, Romi said he was headed to Mumbai. The vessel, registered in Mandvi Port, was not flying an Indian flag and did not possess a no-duty certificate,” said Khan in his statement. According to the chargesheet, the vessel left Dubai Port on April 1. An export manifest prepared by Customs in Dubai stated that the Yusufi was transporting 28 goats, 431 cartons of cigarettes, three cellphone chargers and cellphone accessories. An inspection by the Coast Guard revealed 33 goats tied in cramped corners of the vessel’s deck. The Coast Guard found that Romi had charted a direct route to Mumbai from Dubai on the vessel’s GPS navigation tracker. “Two routes leading in and out of Karachi Port had been charted on the tracker, but Romi did not explain this despite repeated inquiries,” said Khan. srinath.rao@expressindia.com
