Kerala HC holds night hearing for the first time, stops ship from leaving Kochi

The first night hearing in Kerala High Court’s history was to stop a good ship from leaving Kochi’s shores. The ship owes Rs 2.5 crore in dues to a company in Kochi for supplying water to it.

The Kerala High Court, in a first in the court's history, held an urgent sitting late on Monday night, January 24. The urgent sitting was to stop the goods ship MV Ocean Rose from leaving Kochi’s shores. The ship would have left in the early hours of Tuesday, so the High Court saw it fit to hold a night sitting.

The court held the sitting to hear a plea from a company in Kochi. Allegedly, the ship had failed to pay Rs 2.5 crore for supplying water to it.

Justice Devan Ramachandran, who heard the plea, said that if the ship authorities do not pay the amount in two weeks, the company can initiate the procedure for putting the ship at auction. A warrant for arrest was also issued.

If the amount of Rs 2.43 crore owed along with interest and legal fees is paid by Ocean Rose, the warrant of arrest will be withdrawn.

"I hereby direct the registrar issue an order of arrest for MV Ocean Rose along with her hull, engines tackes, machinery, boats, bunkers, equipment, peripherals, and others lying at the Port of Cochin within the territorial waters of this court and that said warrant be executed at any time of day or night. It is resultantly ordered that the executive of Port Trust effect this warrant and arrest," the Court ordered when issuing the warrant.

Also Read: Hearing and speech impaired teen gang-raped 2 months back, found pregnant in Rajasthan's Bhilwara

Also Read: Maharashtra | 7 medical students, including BJP MLA’s son, killed in Wardha accident