London, Nov 13 (PTI) A three-day hearing in the case of Captain Ajay Pant, arrested and charged by the UK authorities in connection with alleged violation of Western sanctions on Russia following an oil tanker raid, concluded in London on Friday.
The hearing before Justice Richard Jacobs at Southwark Crown Court is under strict court-imposed restrictions, prohibiting the reporting of any information on the proceedings at this stage.
Captain Pant, who appeared via videolink, has pleaded not guilty to an “offence contrary to regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/855) (‘the Russia Regulations’), namely maritime transportation of certain oil/oil products to and between third countries”.
The 38-year-old Merchant Navy captain was represented in court by the law firm Kingsley Napley LLP and barristers Rachel Barnes KC, Robert Morris and Stephen Bailey.
The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was represented by barrister Duncan Atkinson KC. The hearings this week concluded with a timetable for further hearings, with one planned in early December followed by a proposed hearing in January 2027.
Earlier, the CPS had authorised charges against the ship captain for “allegedly breaching sanctions after the seizure of a Russian ‘shadow fleet’ oil tanker in the English Channel on Sunday, 14 June 2026”.
He is charged with allegedly breaching Russian sanctions during the period of June 2026 in the first UK-led operation of its kind.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Ajay Pant for breaching Russian sanctions following a National Crime Agency investigation and the seizure of the shadow oil tanker, MV Smyrtos, travelling through the English Channel over the last weekend,” Joanne Jakymec, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS, had said in a statement on June 15.
Earlier this week, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the High Commission of India in London has stayed in regular contact with British authorities, Pant’s lawyers and his family.
Addressing a media briefing in New Delhi, he said: "We have been in touch with the lawyers of Captain Pant as well as his family. The High Commission has paid several visits to Captain Pant to check on his well-being."
“We have also facilitated the visit of his family members, his wife in particular. The last such visit by his wife took place on 9th of November."
He added that New Delhi was also in touch with the UK High Commission in India and the British Foreign Office over the matter. "We are trying to do our best for his safety and well-being."
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)