7 Pak juveniles, acquitted by Jamnagar court, put under care of CWC

The juveniles were part of a group of 13 Pakistani fishermen on board two fishing trawlers which were caught allegedly fishing in Indian waters on February 5 last year. Indian Coast Guard ship Mirabai had intercepted Maula and Madan trawlers some 37.2 nautical miles off Okha coast. The minors were brought to Okha Marine police and booked under Maritime Zone of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981 for fishing in Indian waters without due permission.

However, juvenile court of magistrate BK Barot in Jamnagar acquitted all the minors last Friday concluding there was no evidence against them under Sections 3 (10) and 7 (14).

“The Juvenile Justice Board conducted an inquiry against the seven boys. But the inquiry did not find the minors carrying any weapon or other objectionable things. Under the Maritime Zone of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, only captain of a ship can be booked for violating Indian waters or fishing illegally in Indian waters. The juveniles were crew members of the twin vessels. Therefore, the court accepted our plea that no case was made out against the minors,” Shailesh Vajani, advocate of the boys said on Thursday.

The juvenile court also ordered to put the seven boys under the care of CWC while asking police to facilitate their eventually repatriation to Pakistan.

“While sending the seven boys in our custody, the court has also ordered Jamnagar police to do necessary verification for sending the boys back to Pakistan,” Jamnagar CWC chairperson Bhavna Dudhatra said.

The defence layer further said that the boys hail from Thatta district in Sindh province of Pakistan.

“They were on fishing trips with their maternal or paternal uncles. The six adults who were caught with these minors are facing trial in a court in Dwarka,” Vajani, who was appointed defence lawyer by Gujarat government, further said.