Jaffna HC fines Indian boatmen for poaching

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 16:40 GMT]
The Jaffna High Court Judge, Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah, Tuesday imposed fine on 39 Indian boatmen who had been indicted for poaching in the Sri Lankan territorial waters. Each accused was ordered to pay a fine of fifty thousand rupees in default to serve five years rigorous imprisonment, which has been suspended for a period of ten years, legal sources said.

The cases against these Indian boatmen were taken up for inquiry Tuesday in the Jaffna HC. All the accused pleaded guilty, legal sources said.

Altogether 54 Indian boatmen have been waiting in the Jaffna prisons to be deported to their motherland. Already fifteen Indian boatmen were discharged by the High Court on pleading guilty, legal sources said.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General has indicted the remainingt 23 Indian boatmen who have been waiting for their cases to be taken up for inquiry in the Jaffna High Court, legal sources said.