Case Against 15 After Fishing Boat Enters Prohibited Area Off Mumbai Coast

Mumbai Police has registered an FIR against 15 crew members of a fishing boat after it allegedly entered a prohibited area of the ONGC in the Arabian Sea and security agencies were provided wrong details about two crew members, an official said on Monday.

The incident took place between 8 am and 10 am on Saturday, 55 nautical miles away from the west coast in the Arabian Sea, an official said.

The offence was registered at Yellow Gate police station here on a complaint of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation's (ONGC) chief shore security officer on Sunday, the official said.

The fishing boat 'Jalrani' allegedly entered the prohibited area of the ONGC and reached near the BPA platform, he said.

Those on board the vessel also disobeyed orders of personnel of the naval patrolling boat T-16, which had gone near 'Jalrani' for an inspection, he said.

As the fishing vessel entered the prohibited area, the naval patrolling boat personnel ordered that it come out from there. But, the fishing boat crew members did not follow the order, he said.

Naval personnel then started questioning those on board the fishing boat but they allegedly did not give correct information.

During enquiry, the boat master told security agencies that two of the sailors were from Pakistan, though they were of Indian origin, he said.

The ONGC officials took serious cognisance of the incident and a complaint was filed against the boat master and 14 other sailors, he said.

Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered against them under Indian Penal Code Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 182 (false information), 179 (refusing to answer public servant authorised to question) and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, he said.

A probe was on into the case, he added.

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