Directors of shipping firm held by TN cops

The special team from Chennai,led by ACP Mohan Raj,produced the two before the Chief Judicial Magistrate,Pune,and obtained a transit warrant to take them to Chennai. On Wednesday,they were remanded to judicial custody in connection with the case registered in Chennai.

The Chennai police that is investigating the case said inquiries have revealed that Pratibha Shipping Company and Sea World Shipping and Logistics Pvt Ltd,Chennai,failed to provide adequate bunker,water,stores and salary dues,and knowingly failed to rectify the repairs in the lifeboat,which led to the capsizing of the boat when the crew members tried to reach the shore safely. The companies,the police said,failed to save the lives of the crew members in distress situation.

Meanwhile,the parents of drowned junior engineer,Niranjan,committed suicide on February 22,charging the authorities and the company of apathy. It was later known that as per the Madras High Courts direction,the company had deposited Rs 5 lakh for the family of each drowned crew with the registry. However,the registry officials delayed handing over the money.

The police had in November arrested K Jayaraman,branch manager,and S Chittibabu,the operational assistant,of the logistics company in Chennai.