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Journalism of Courage
The Mumbai Sessions Court today sentenced 14 Indonesian pirates to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment in India’s first-ever sea piracy case.
The 14 were convicted of hijacking the freighter MV Alondra Rainbow and its multi-million dollar cargo of aluminium ingots in a daring armed raid in Indonesian waters in October 1999. They surrendered to Indian Navy and coastguard ships after a pursuit and exchange of fire off the Kerala coast one month later.
Additional Principal Sessions Judge R.R. Vaccha convicted them on 11 counts under the IPC, including the attempted murder of Alondra Rainbow’s crew, whom they set adrift in a life raft. They were also convicted of conspiracy to hijack, dacoity with firearms and attempting to scuttle the ship.
The accused have already spent three years and three months in jail which will be offset by the judgement. Defence lawyer Santosh Deshpande said he will file an appeal before the Bombay High Court.
