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The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the Union government while hearing a plea by family members of 16 Indian seafarers who were detained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG) on December 8. At the time, they were on a vessel in international waters off the Dibba port near Dubai.
“This petition is by the family members of sixteen Indian nationals who have been detained in the Islamic Republic of Iran, for directions to the respondent-Union of India to take steps to provide consular access to the detained persons and to secure timely completion of investigation and their repatriation to India,” Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said in an order on January 15, 2026.
‘No MEA help yet’
The petitioners say the seafarers have not got any legal, financial, or consular aid from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), despite repeated requests over the past month. They added that ten of the seafarers have been taken to Bandar Abbas prison, while eight remain onboard the vessel.
Consulate General of India in Bandar Abbas said that, despite requests, consular access has not been granted by the Iranian authorities.
The matter has been posted for hearing on January 21, according to Gurinder Pal Singh, the counsel for the seafarers.
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Confined and confiscated
“The petitioners have been detained without disclosing the grounds for detention or issuing any formal detention order for over thirty days, in violation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 to which both India and Iran are signatories,” the court noted.
The families said that over the past month, the crew has been confined to a single mess room of the vessel and were allowed to use the washroom only under armed escort. All personal belongings, mobile phones, laptops, and electronic devices have been confiscated.
Till date, the Iranian authorities have not issued any formal detention order nor disclosed the grounds for detention, rendering the continued custody arbitrary, illegal, and in violation of international law, the petitioners said.
Illegally detained
The government’s counsel said that due steps have been taken by the Centre, which will further ensure that all assistance is rendered to the petitioners for redressal of the grievance.
The petition said that the seafarers have remained illegally detained for over 30 days without any legal, financial or consular assistance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), despite repeated representations.
Accused of smuggling diesel
The vessel MT Valiant Roar is owned by Glory International FZ LLC /Prime Tankers LLC, Dubai, also referred to as Global Tankers in India. The petitioners have said that the vessel was carrying Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) but Iran has accused the seafarers of smuggling diesel. The cargo was loaded on the subject vessel via ship-to-ship transfers over a period of time and was originally loaded on MT GLOBAL BEAUTY from Vitol at Fujairah Port, UAE sometime in July 2024.
At the time of the incident, the vessel was operating in international waters near Dibba Port, UAE. Following the cargo operations, the vessel remained moored alongside its sister vessel, MT Coral Wave for several days due to a technical issue. Once repairs were completed, the vessel finally unmoored on December 8, 2025 and was awaiting further navigational instructions.
Distressing voicemail
On December 8, the Master of the Vessel, Captain Vijay Kumar, sent a brief but distressing voicemail to his brother Captain Vinod Tanwar, one of the petitioners in the case, stating that the vessel was being chased by the IRG while sailing in international waters.
“That immediately thereafter, Petitioner No.1 (the brother of Capt. Vijay Kumar) contacted the vessel’s operator in Dubai, who verbally informed him that the vessel had been intercepted by the IRG and that the crew members had been arrested and forcibly taken to Bandar e Jask, Iran. The vessel was instructed by the Iranian Navy/Revolutionary Guards to lower the pilot ladder for boarding which was lawfully refused by the Master, being fully conscious of the vessel’s right of innocent passage under international maritime law.
“Thereafter, the Iranian Navy opened heavy fire, causing visible damage to the vessel and likely injuries to the crew members. Upon boarding, Iranian naval personnel physically assaulted and manhandled the crew members,” the petition said.
On December 12, the petitioners formally reported the incident to the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) via email and sought urgent intervention and escalation to the MEA and the Embassy of India in Tehran.
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