Three Indian nationals face death penalty in Indonesia for smuggling crystal meth

Three Indian nationals from Tamil Nadu identified as Raju Muthukumaran (38), Selvadurai Dinakaran (34), and Govindhasamy Vimalkandhan (45), face the death penalty in Indonesia for allegedly smuggling 106 kg of crystal meth aboard the Singapore-flagged vessel Legend Aquarius.

The trio, all of whom have experience in the shipping industry in Singapore, were arrested in July 2024 after Indonesian authorities intercepted their vessel in the Karimun district, near Singapore. The arrest came after a tip-off regarding suspected drug trafficking activities.

Indonesian prosecutors are demanding the death penalty, the highest punishment in Indonesia. However, the defense team, led by Indian lawyer John Paul and the Indonesian firm Bambang Supriadi and Partners, argued that the men are innocent and the charges are false.

“We are focused on presenting a robust defence and highlighting the inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case,” news agency PTI quoted Paul as saying.

They argued that the captain of the vessel, who is responsible for all cargo under Indonesian law, should bear the blame. A key witness, retired Indonesian Navy officer Soleman B Ponto, testified in February that it is impossible that such a large drug shipment could have been smuggled without the captain’s knowledge.

The defense team further contended that the absence of the captain’s testimony at the trial raises questions about the prosecution’s case. The captain failed to appear in person on March 14, appearing briefly via Zoom, which prevented cross-examination by the defense. The trial is still underway, with a verdict expected by April 15, 2025.

(With PTI Inputs)