Indian captain denied bail in UK for violating Russian oil sanctions

A London court has denied bail to Indian Merchant Navy captain Ajay Pant, who is accused of violating British sanctions related to Russian oil shipments. The 38-year-old Pant, a native of Uttarakhand, is alleged to have indirectly or directly delivered Russian oil to a third country while serving as the captain of the sanctioned tanker MV Smyrtos.

According to a report by News18, officers from the Royal Marines and the National Crime Agency intercepted and inspected the tanker in the English Channel on June 14. The prosecution claims that this tanker was carrying approximately 98,000 tonnes of Russian oil. Pant's defence argued that he was merely an employee and did not have the authority to make decisions regarding the cargo or its destination. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison. His jury trial has been scheduled to commence on December 15, 2026.

This was the first ship seizure operation conducted by the UK, as the MV Smyrtos is suspected to be part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet.