'India's piracy convictions send strong message,' says prosecutor Ranjeet Sangle

Public Prosecutor Ranjeet V Sangle. Pic/Aishwarya Iyer

With Mumbai courts convicting all 44 Somali pirates in the MV Ruen and Al Kambar 786 hijacking cases, Public Prosecutor Advocate Ranjeet V Sangle, who has handled six of India's seven piracy trials, says the verdicts reinforce India's zero-tolerance approach to maritime piracy. In an interview with mid-day, he speaks about the significance of the convictions, the Indian Navy's role and a conversation he had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a decade ago.

Excerpts from the interview.

You called these convictions historic. Why do you consider them a landmark?
This is the first time in India's legal history that all the accused in two separate piracy cases have been convicted, with all 44 Somali pirates receiving life imprisonment on multiple counts.

Before these cases, India had conducted seven piracy trials. I have personally prosecuted six of them. Between 2011 and 2017, I represented the government in four piracy cases involving around 120 Somali pirates, all of whom were convicted after full trials.

These latest convictions are another milestone and maintain India's 100 per cent conviction record in piracy prosecutions.

How significant were the MV Ruen and Al Kambar 786 cases?
The MV Ruen case was the first major piracy incident in the region after several years. The Indian Navy rescued all 17 crew members of the Bulgarian-owned vessel and apprehended all 35 pirates.

Soon after, the Navy intercepted the Iranian fishing vessel Al Kambar 786, rescued its 23 Pakistani crew members and arrested nine Somali pirates.

Both operations demonstrated the Indian Navy's ability to respond swiftly to maritime piracy while ensuring the safe rescue of foreign nationals.

What do these verdicts mean for India's fight against maritime piracy?
These convictions reaffirm India's commitment to combating piracy under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, which came into force in 2023.

India has now secured convictions in every piracy prosecution it has undertaken, maintaining a 100 per cent conviction rate. This reflects the coordinated efforts of the Indian Navy, Mumbai Police, investigators and prosecutors in ensuring that those involved in piracy are brought to justice.

You mentioned a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Could you tell us about it?
I met Narendra Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat in 2012. During our conversation, he told me, "Ranjit, mujhe is maamle mein kuch karna hai. Kuch bhi karo, lekin pirates kabhi yahan se bari hoke nahi jaane chahiye."

("Ranjit, I want something to be done about this issue. Do whatever it takes, but the pirates should never walk free from here.")

These convictions reminded me of that conversation. I believe we have honoured that commitment through our work. India now has a 100 per cent conviction record in piracy prosecutions, and the credit goes to the Indian Navy, Mumbai Police and everyone involved in the investigation and prosecution.