16 Indian crew members of cargo ship return home after over 9 months of detention in Africa
New Delhi, Jun 11: Sixteen Indian crew members of a cargo vessel who were in detention for over nine months in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria have returned to India following the government's lengthy negotiations with the authorities concerned, official sources said on Sunday.
Oil tanker MT Heroic Idun and its 26 crew members, including 16 Indians, were in detention since August last year.
They were initially detained in Equatorial Guinea and subsequently in Nigeria. The ship and crew were accused of various crimes, including oil theft.
"Following lengthy negotiations, all charges against the crew were dropped and the ship was released on May 27 after paying the fines. The Indian crew members have now returned to India," said a source.
The sources said the Indian Mission officials remained in regular touch with the crew and undertook consular access on numerous occasions.
"From the outset, the government of India, through its missions in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria, and in bilateral meetings, took up the matter with the respective foreign authorities at various levels," said a source.
"They were pressed for early resolution of the issue and repatriation of the Indian crew members," it said.
Following interventions with the Nigerian government, the crew was allowed to remain on board the ship with the provision of regular food, instead of being taken to a detention centre, the sources said.
The crew members were also allowed periodic contact with their families.
The Indian Mission worked with the shipping company for legal representation to be arranged for the crew, they said.
"It was highlighted to the Nigerian authorities that there had been no oil theft; necessary permissions had apparently been accorded; and that the crew was not privy to the decisions of operations," the source said.
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Saif Ali Khan attack case: Accused confesses theft as motive
Mumbai: The Bandra police recorded Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s statement regarding the housebreaking and stabbing incident at his residence, ‘Satguru Sharan.’
The accused, Shariful Islam (30), revealed during interrogation that his intention was theft, not harm. Islam, a Bangladeshi national, reportedly lost his job on December 15, which led him to commit the crime due to financial distress. Evidence, including a Bangladeshi voter ID and certificate, confirmed his nationality. The accused scaled a four-foot wall and used a pipe to reach the duct area of the building, eventually climbing to the 11th floor through the staircase and duct. He entered the house through a bathroom door near the children’s room.
The maids’ alarm caused him to attack Saif, after which the actor’s family mistook the situation for a gang robbery and moved to the upper floor. Islam fled the scene the same way he entered.
Post-incident, Saif was taken to Lilavati Hospital, while Kareena Kapoor Khan moved to her sister Karisma Kapoor’s house with their younger son, Jehangir. The police recovered tools, including a screwdriver, hammer, hacksaw blade, and a broken knife, from a bag discarded by the accused. Investigations revealed that Islam attempted to alter his appearance by visiting a salon in Worli after the incident. The police also questioned the salon owner and an autorickshaw driver who assisted Saif. CCTV footage from the 6th floor of the building confirmed the accused’s entry, though no cameras were installed near the actor’s flats or terrace.
The Bandra police examined nearly 700 CCTV footages across various locations, including Bandra, Khar, Dadar, and Worli, as part of the investigation, which is now in its final stage. The accused has requested deportation to Bangladesh.
