MV Smyrtos Seizure: Indian Captain Ajay Pant Denied Bail Ahead Of December Trial | News18

An Indian merchant navy captain remains in UK custody after a London court denied him bail in a case involving alleged violations of British sanctions on Russian oil shipments. Ajay Pant, 38, from Uttarakhand, is accused of directly or indirectly transporting prohibited Russian oil to a third country while captaining the sanctioned tanker MV Smyrtos. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. His jury trial is scheduled to begin on December 15, 2026.Pant was arrested on June 14, when Royal Marines and National Crime Agency officers intercepted and boarded the tanker in the English Channel. The operation marked the first UK-led seizure of a vessel suspected of belonging to Russia's so-called shadow fleet. The prosecution alleges that the tanker was carrying approximately 98,000 tonnes of Russian oil. Pant's defence has argued that he was an employee following orders and did not decide the vessel's cargo or destination. Mobile App - https://onelink.to/desc-youtube