US ship's crew move HC to quash case in lower court

They said the Arms Act 1959 barred the applicability of the Act to arms and Ammunition on board any seagoing vessel or Aircraft and forming part of the ordinary armament of equipment of such vessel or aircraft.

The petitioners, who were charged with entering the Indian waters with arms without permission, said they were entitled to protection under the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic zone and Other Maritime Zone Act. Besides India was a signatory to the UN Convention on Law of Sea, and it was India's duty to operate in the repression of piracy.  

The statute says that provisions contained in the Arms act would not apply to the vessel owned by the petitioner company, they said.