{"id":2648,"date":"2026-07-17T19:37:26","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T19:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=2648"},"modified":"2026-07-17T19:37:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T19:37:26","slug":"uk-court-denies-bail-to-indian-captain-of-sanctioned-russian-oil-vessel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=2648","title":{"rendered":"UK court denies bail to Indian captain of sanctioned Russian oil vessel"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132468944,imgsize-832070,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/representative-image.jpg\" alt=\"UK court denies bail to Indian captain of sanctioned Russian oil vessel\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>NEW DELHI: The Indian captain of a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker seized by British armed forces last month was denied bail Thursday by a London court where he is accused of violating sanctions against Moscow.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>Ajay Pant (38), a resident of Chilkiya in Ramnagar, near Nainital, Uttarakhand, appeared at Southwark crown court via video link from prison on Thursday. No plea was entered and a four-week trial was scheduled to start December 15.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>Pant made an application for bail, which was denied over concerns he could abscond or receive assistance from Russia to flee.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/>He also made an application for the charges against him to be dismissed, which will be heard on November 12.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>The principle charge Pant faces is the maritime transportation of certain oil and oil products to and between third countries, contrary to Regulation 46z9b of the Russia (Sanctions) (Eu Exit) Regulations, 2019. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>The legislation applies to anyone who owns, controls, charters, or operates a ship carrying these prohibited goods.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/>On June 14, Royal Marines and the National Crime Agency boarded MV Smyrtos after it had entered UK territorial waters and identified Pant as the master of the vessel, which has been sanctioned by the EU and UK since Oct 2025 for its involvement in export of Russian crude.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>According to the prosecution, Pant had \u201cknowledge of the cargo\u201d, which amounted to around 98,000 tonnes of Russian oil.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/>Speaking after the hearing, Manoj Yadav, general secretary of FSUI (Forward Seamen\u2019s Union of India), told TOI: \u201cIt is a minimum requirement of the international unions that there should be a fast trial court for such cases when a foreign seafarer is detained in a third country. We are very strongly saying he should get bail or his case fast-tracked. <!-- -->If the trial is listed in Dec, the seafarers on board the ship may have to remain until after that.<!-- -->\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>Twenty-four crew members from Georgia and India remain on board the vessel, currently anchored off Weymouth, Dorset.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>According to SeaTrade Maritime News, the ship\u2019s owner and commercial manager is Hong Kong-based Zhao Yao Shipping, with Chennai-based Vika Line Marine Services as international safety manager.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/uk\/uk-court-denies-bail-to-indian-captain-of-sanctioned-russian-oil-vessel\/articleshow\/132468884.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEW DELHI: The Indian captain of a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker seized by British armed forces last month was denied bail Thursday by a London court where he is accused of violating sanctions against Moscow.Ajay Pant (38), a resident of Chilkiya in Ramnagar, near Nainital, Uttarakhand, appeared at Southwark crown court via video [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784317046_representative-image.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"NEW DELHI: The Indian captain of a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker seized by British armed forces last month was denied bail Thursday by a London court where he is accused of violating sanctions against Moscow.Ajay Pant (38), a resident of Chilkiya in Ramnagar, near Nainital, Uttarakhand, appeared at Southwark crown court via video [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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