The Supreme Court has directed the Union government to locate Captain Ashish Kumar, who has been missing since March 1. His disappearance follows an incident in which his vessel, MT m, was struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz. The court’s request underscores the need for accountability regarding the safety of maritime operations in the region.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to look into the matter and submit a status report on the missing captain. The government is expected to respond by Monday. She has alleged that, despite these indications, the Centre did not initiate a specialised investigation or diplomatic efforts to trace her husband.
The family also received ransom calls on March 4, three days after the attack, according to the petition. The calls reportedly came from international numbers, including those linked to the UAE and Pakistan, with the callers demanding Rs 20 lakh. A Palau-flagged oil tanker was under US sanctions, was attacked on March 1 off Oman’s Musandam peninsula, leaving four people injured, according to the country’s maritime security centre. The 20-member crew of the tanker Skylight was evacuated after the attack, which took place about five nautical miles north of Musandam’s Khasab Port, located on the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, the Oman Maritime Security Centre said in a post on X.
