“My husband just became the scapegoat,” his wife Ritu Pant, 36, told AFP. “He was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

UK prosecutors accuse him of directly or indirectly supplying or delivering prohibited Russian oil or oil products by ship to a third country. He denies wrongdoing and has the right to a fair trial.

How Pant’s tanker was intercepted

British commandos intercepted the Smyrtos in the English Channel on June 14. The vessel is alleged to be part of Russia’s ghost fleet — a network of ships with unclear ownership and insurance that Moscow uses to evade oil sanctions imposed after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, the AFP report added.

The Smyrtos had left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on June 5 and was headed towards Egypt’s Port Said, according to MarineTraffic data.

British commandos fast-roped from a helicopter onto the tanker as it crossed the Channel. Then-prime minister Keir Starmer described the operation as a “blow to Russia”.

The tanker was carrying about 98,000 tonnes of oil, according to details presented in court.

Wife recalls Pant’s first call after arrest

Pant has been denied bail and remains in custody. His wife said he was distressed when he first called her after his arrest.

Recalling his first phone call from custody, Ritu said he was crying and told her: “I am in jail, please take me out.”

His lawyer has argued that Pant was “simply following orders” as an employee of the vessel’s owner. Prosecutors, however, say Pant was the master of the ship and had knowledge of the cargo.

His wife made a similar argument. “The master’s responsibility in any vessel is to just get the cargo safely to its destination,” she said.

Anwar Sadat of the Indian Society of International Law told AFP that the case raised “complex” legal questions.

The case could also set a precedent for other seafarers. It is believed to be the first time a European country has brought sanctions-violation charges against the captain of such a vessel instead of targeting only the ship or its owners, AFP reported.

India steps in with consular support

The Ministry of External Affairs said consular officials had visited Pant to check on his wellbeing, according to AFP.

Pant was the only sailor among the crew to be charged. Most of the other 24 crew members have since returned home, while the vessel remains anchored off England’s southern coast.

The Indian High Commission in London had earlier said it was monitoring Pant’s case, news agency  PTI reported.

In June, the High Commission told the Uttarakhand government that Pant was in judicial custody at HMP Winchester. Indian officials spoke to him on June 19, when Pant said he was in good health, was receiving medical care and was regularly in touch with his wife, PTI reported.

The High Commission had also taken up the matter with UK authorities to seek consular access and ensure Pant’s safety and rights. It remained in touch with Pant’s wife, lawyers and employer, Energios Maritime Private Limited, which had promised to provide him legal assistance and support his family.

Why was only the captain charged?

Pant was the only sailor among the Smyrtos crew to face charges. The distinction is central to the case: UK prosecutors allege that Pant, as master of the vessel, had knowledge of its cargo and was responsible for the ship’s movement, while his defence argues that he was an employee carrying out the owner’s instructions.

Arrest raises concerns among seafarers

Pant’s arrest has raised concerns among seafarers who fear being caught in disputes between countries over sanctions.

Steve Yandell, coordinator of the seafarers’ section of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, told AFP that sailors may not always know that their ship is carrying sanctioned oil, leaving them at risk of being “stuck in the middle” of geopolitical conflicts.

India has more than 320,000 seafarers and forms a major part of the global merchant shipping workforce.

Indian tanker captain Sanket Joshi described Pant’s arrest as “very alarming”, saying it was probably the first time a captain had been arrested over commercial matters rather than a safety issue.

Days before his arrest, Pant had told his wife that working at sea was becoming increasingly difficult.

“He said that the sea is becoming very difficult now,” Ritu Pant told AFP.

Pant’s mother, Deepa, has appealed to the government to help bring her son home.

“I just want to plead to the government, with folded hands, to get my son back home,” she told AFP.

(This article was curated by Aditi Anand, who is an intern with The Indian Express)