Chhatrapur: Aryapalli Marine police here arrested four Filipinos on the charge of talking over satellite phones, which are banned in the country, on board a Panama ship at Gopalpur port Sunday.
They were produced in the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM). SDJM Niranjan Patra heard their bail pleas and allowed them to go on bail on production of a bailer of `5,000 and `10,000 personal bail bond.
The accused Philippines nationals were identified as the ship’s chief officer Librado P Jemina, second officer Nathaniel A Faja, Jesscileton B Bautisca and chief cook Eduardo S Gruspe, all crew members of MV Fortune Epoch.
Sources said the ship from Panama reached Gopalpur port Saturday to ship 10,000 tonne of Illuminite (Blacksand) manufactured by the Indian Rare Earths Ltd in Chhatrapur to China. It was expected to leave for China Sunday evening.
However, the coastguard ships patrolling the sea found the Filipinos talking to their kin over banned satellite phones. The coastguard personnel recorded their talks and started a probe into the incident October 20.
The probe found them talking to their kin in the Philippines over the impending cyclonic storm over Thuria satellite phones (IMEI no-35601300116509).
Coastguard commandant Ashutosh Behera lodged a complaint with state intelligence bureau (SIB) at Berhampur, the deputy SP (intelligence) and the nodal officer (marine) requesting them to take necessary action against the accused on the basis of Section 20(A) of Indian Telegraph Act-1885 and Section-6(1)(A) Indian Wireless Telegraph Act-1933.
Any violation of the law invites three years imprisonment or `1,000 as penalty or both.
Aryapalli Marine police registered a case and arrested the four from the ship anchoring near the jetty. They were brought over to Chamakhandi police station where they were interrogated in this connection before being produced in the court. Public prosecutor Manoj Padhi was present during the hearing of the case. PNN
