The security guard of US anti-piracy ship M.V. Seaman Guard Ohio has moved the Madras High Court Bench here seeking a direction to a lower court in Tuticorin to refund Rs.25 lakh deposited as security to get its crew members enlarged on bail in a case registered against them last year on charge of trespassing into Indian waters with arms and ammunition.
The petitioner, Raymond John Tindall, claimed that there was no necessity for the lower court to withhold the money deposited in March this year in view of the High Court having quashed the entire case, registered against the crew members, on July 10. “Therefore, there is no criminal case or complaint pending against the crew members as on date,” he said.
Pointing out that a Judicial Magistrate in Tuticorin had refused to refund the security deposit until the expiry of the statutory period of 90 days, within which the investigating agency could prefer an appeal against the High Court’s order quashing the case, the petitioner said the deposit was made only for obtaining bail and it should be refunded right now since the crew members were no longer on bail.
He also said the crew members of different nationalities were unable to return to their home countries since they had to settle hotel bills running up to several lakh of rupees for their stay in Chennai.
