Question : PIRATES LODGED IN JAILS

(a) whether the Government has arrested several pirates and lodged them in various jails in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the total number of sea pirates arrested and lodged in jails during each of the last three years and the current year, country and State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has received any proposal from the Government of Somalia regarding plea bargain in respect of Somalian pirates who were arrested and lodged in jail in the year 2011;

(d) if so, whether the plea bargain as suggested by the Somalian Government is legally untenable under the existing laws; and

(e) if so, the details and the present status thereof along with the measures taken by the Government to fast track the cases relating to pirates lodged in Indian jails?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b) 120 Somalian Pirates were arrested by the Maharashtra Police during 2011, who are under trial and presently lodged in Taloja Central Prison, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.

(c) to (e) The option of plea bargaining is not available under the Cr.PC to the accused Somalian Pirates because of the nature of offences they are charged with. In terms of Section 265A of the CrPC, an accused, charged with an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term exceeding seven years cannot avail the provision of plea-bargaining. The accused Somalian pirates are all charged with offences punishable by more than 7 years imprisonment. Hence, plea-bargaining is not possible under the existing statutory provisions.