Rs 220 Cr Cocaine Seizure In Odisha: High Court Orders ‘Arrest’ Of Cargo Ship At Paradip

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has ordered the ‘arrest’ of Panama-registered cargo ship MV Debi anchored at Paradip port in Jagatsinghpur district from which cocaine worth Rs 220 crore was seized nearly three months ago.

Justice V Narasingh passed the order on Friday while hearing an admiralty suit filed by Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT). The plaintiff prayed to the court for a decree against the cargo ship to pay a sum of Rs 7.95 crore towards berth and penal berth charges.

The petitioner also sought the arrest of the vessel under Section 5(1) of the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act, 2017 (hereinafter referred to as “Act, 2017”).

In an interim order, the admiralty judge said, “PICT prima facie has been able to fortify its stand that the suit will be rendered infructuous unless the order to arrest the vessel is passed in exercise of the power of this court under Section 5(1) of the Act, 2017.”

“Accordingly a separate judge order for arrest of Defendant Vessel is passed. Defendant-vessel (M.V Debi) be arrested at Paradip Port,” the court said.

The court gave liberty to the plaintiff to communicate the order along with a letter of the Marshal of the High Court. The Plaintiff is also at liberty to serve the warrant of arrest in the course of the next 24 hours, the court added.

The court fixed March 7 for further consideration of the marital claim by PICT.

Notably, MV Debi had hit the headlines after 22 kg were seized from the ship on Dec 1, 2023.

Earlier this month, a special NDPS court at Kujang in Jagatsinghpur district had sought a whopping guarantee of Rs 110 crore for the release of the cargo ship MV Debi.