01 June,2011 07:23 AM IST | | J Dey
Following the arrest of 120 Somali pirates, the Mumbai police has now filed a chargesheet against them accusing them of serious offences including firing at Indian Naval ships.
The Yellow Gate police investigating the case filed the chargesheet before the Metropolitan Magistrate court paving the way for early trials and convictions.
The pirates have been charged with firing on naval units, attempt to kill and intruding India's territorial waters, confirmed investigating officer Inspector Bharat Boite.u00a0
The police filed the charges after recording statements of several victims and naval officers who were part of the maritime assault teams early this year.
The 120 Somali pirates are currently in judicial custody and lodged at Taloja prison in Thane district.
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The pirates were apprehended early this year when the Navy launched several small operations on the southern tip of the Arabian Sea to safeguard merchant ships from piracy.
Some ships and weapons found during the raids are now being used as evidence to present a watertight
case against them in court.
According to investigators, there are several ships being held by pirates demanding ransom amounts ranging from Rs two crore to Rs 20 crore.
