V. Udayakumar, Judicial First Class Magistrate, Ambalappuzha, on Monday, remanded Prasobh Sugathan, second officer of the Singapore-flagged ship m.v. Prabhu Daya which was allegedly involved in a collision with a fishing boat off the Cherthala coast killing five fishermen on March 1, back in judicial custody till March 29.
The Ambalappuzha police produced Prasobh, first accused in the case, before the court as his police custody expired by 4 p.m. on Monday.
On the bail application of the first three accused, the court heard the arguments of counsels and postponed a decision to March 28.
The court asked the police to file a report saying if they want the accused for further interrogation. Mayur Veerendra Kumar, seaman and second accused, will be in judicial custody till Thursday. Gordon Charles Pereira, Captain of the ship, is also in judicial custody.
Tolani Shipping (Singapore) Pte Ltd., owner of the ship, through its counsel, had the other day filed a petition in the court seeking the release of the ship under Section 457 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (whenever seizure of property by any police officer is reported to a magistrate under the provisions of this code and such property is not produced before a criminal court during an inquiry or trial, the magistrate may make such order as he thinks fit respecting the disposal of such property or the delivery of such property to the person entitled to the possession thereof, or if such person cannot be ascertained, respecting the custody and production of such property.)
A team from the Mercantile Marine Department questioned Prasobh on Sunday. The team will submit a report to the Director General of Shipping.
