Eleven days after the oil spill in the Arabian Sea off the Mumbai harbour, investigators have still not been able to determine the frequency on which the vessel, MSC Chitra, was operating at the time of its collision with m.v. Khalijia-III.
While hearing the bail applications of the captains of the two vessels, court expressed displeasure over the prosecution's its inability to furnish this information.
“At least on the first day of the hearing, you must be able to tell the court what frequency Chitra was using – Very High Frequency [VHF] 12, 13 or 14? Without that, how can you [argue the plea]?” judge M.L. Tahaliyani told chief public prosecutor R.V. Kini.
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Mr. Kini pleaded that the investigators be given more time. “A parallel inquiry is being conducted by DG [Directorate-General] Shipping,” he said.
Notice period
The prosecution said captains Mandeleno Ranjit Martin of MSC Chitra and Laxman Dubey of m.v Khalijia-III would not be arrested immediately. However, if the police decided to arrest either of them, he would be served a 72-hour notice in writing.
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In his arguments, Mr. Dubey's lawyer, Arpan Rajput, said Khalijia was on VHF 12 and 14.
N.N. Kumar, chairman of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), from where Chitra set sail on August 7, told TheHindu over telephone that the vessel could likely have used only frequency channel 13, while its other line could have snapped.
“If a ship is reporting to the Mumbai Port Trust, it takes directions from MbPT control at VHF 12. A ship coming to my [JNPT] port uses VHF 13. However, when ships are in a common water channel, they are supposed to keep both frequencies open. Somehow, this time the apprehension is, as investigation is still on, that Chitra was using only VHF 13 since it had left from my port. Investigation will establish if its other line snapped or was not used,” Mr Kumar said.