Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday sought the intervention of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct the Union Ministry of External Affairs to make use of all diplomatic channels to secure immediate release of 35 Indian crew members, along with Captain SS Cheema, of Shipping Corporation of India limited-owned Motor Tanker ‘Desh Shanti’ vessel — arrested on Bandar Abbas in Iran since August 12.
In two separate letters addressed to Prime Minister and Union External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Badal impressed upon them for expediting release of the vessel along with its Captain and crew at the earliest.
“The Merchant Navy Officers’ Association led by Capt lalit Chander Dharmani along with Neena Cheema, the wife of Captain SS Cheema called on the Chief Minister at his official residence to apprise him about the entire incident for seeking his support and help to get the crew members released expeditiously,” said a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office.
The Association also informed Badal that all crew members have been arrested on the ground that ship had allegedly polluted Iranian seas.
The crew on board was feeling threatened and were distressed since the last 18 days. The hygiene of the vessel was also a matter of major
concern.
Capt Cheema is a resident of Mohali, who informed his wife that vessel was in no way responsible for creating any pollution and not committed any irregularity rather it complied with all international rules and regulations.