HC adjourns bail plea hearing of US ship crew to December 9

MADURAI: Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu police to file their counter by December 9 on bail plea filed by the crew of a detained US firm-owned ship.

The 35 crew members of MV Seaman Guard Ohio had moved the High Court on November 30 seeking bail after a Tuticorin court rejected their bail applications.

When the matter came up for hearing, Justice Sathyanarayanan asked the police to file their objections and adjourned the matter to December 9.

The Indian Coast Guard detained the ship on October 12 off Tuticorin port for illegally entering into the Indian waters and also carrying weapons and the Q branch police arrested the crew on October 18.