‘Made a scapegoat’: Wife of Indian captain jailed in UK over Russian oil vessel case

Indian merchant navy captain Ajay Pant has been dubbed a "scapegoat" by his wife following his arrest in the UK over allegations of sanctions violations involving a Russian oil tanker. Pant, 38, has been held in custody since June after authorities boarded the sanctioned vessel Smyrtos in the English Channel. He faces charges under UK sanctions regulations that could see him serve up to 10 years in prison. His trial is set to commence on December 15.

Ritu Pant, 36, expressed her husband's frustration in her first interview since the arrest, stating, "My husband just became the scapegoat. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time." The Smyrtos was intercepted on June 14, marking the first UK-led operation targeting a vessel suspected of being part of Russia's "shadow fleet" – a network of ships with unclear ownership used to evade sanctions imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

According to MarineTraffic, the tanker departed from Russia's Ust-Luga port on June 5, with Egypt's Port Said as its intended destination. Prosecutors allege that Pant was aware of the cargo, which amounted to around 98,000 tonnes of Russian oil. He was denied bail in July due to concerns over potential flight or assistance from Russia. A hearing to challenge the charges is scheduled for November 12.

In custody, Pant has reportedly been struggling, with his wife recounting his emotional state upon their first phone call after the arrest. "He was broken and crying, he didn't know what had happened to him... He just said, 'I am in jail, please take me out'," she shared. Pant's legal team argues that he was merely carrying out orders as an employee of the vessel's owner. Ritu echoed this defense, asserting, "The master's responsibility is to safely get the cargo to its destination."

This case could set a precedent as it marks one of the first instances of a European country pursuing criminal sanctions charges against an individual captain for alleged shadow fleet activity, rather than solely targeting the vessel's owners or operators. The arrest has also sparked concerns among seafarer groups about crews being ensnared in geopolitical disputes without awareness of the ownership or sanctions status of the vessels they operate.

India, with over 320,000 seafarers, finds this case particularly significant for its merchant shipping workforce.