5 Indian seafarers kept under judicial custody in Iran to return to India today

New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): Five Indian seafarers who were kept under judicial custody at Chabahar Central Jail in Iran for 403 days are set to return to India on Friday.

According to sources, the 5 Indian seafarers will reportedly arrive in Mumbai from Tehran via an Iran Air flight. According to the President of the Indian World Forum, Puneet Singh Chandok, the repatriation of seafarers is facilitated by the Indian World Forum and is being borne by the Indian government.

The Embassy of India, Tehran after the direction of Delhi High Court to the Centre provided boarding and lodging to the seafarers and prior to that they were at the mercy of local samaritans.

Notably, Puneet Singh Chandhok, President of the Indian World Forum on July 12, 2021, raised the issue of the seafarers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well, according to sources.

These sailors, Aniket Sham Yenpure, Mandar Milind Worlikar, Naveen Singh, Pranav Kumar, and Thamizhselvan Rengasamy were apparently in judicial custody in Tehran for 403 days without any charges as investigations were completed with authorities in Chabahar and Konark, Sistan and Baluchestan Provinces in Iran.

According to the circumstances, the local court in Chabahar in its judgement on March 8, 2021, ruled the defendants innocent, and ordered their immediate release, following which they were released from prison on March 9, 2021, and taken for completing formalities to Konark.

Subsequently they were handed over their belongings etc but surprisingly they were not handed back their passports and identity documents including CDC by the local authorities, sources said.

Subsequently, a petition was filed by the family members of seafarers at Delhi High Court through legal counsel Gurinder Pal Singh seeking legal assistance from the Indian authorities as well as the issuance of a document to prove their identity.