JAKARTA, Indonesia (March 21, 2025) – Three Indian nationals accused of drug trafficking aboard a Singapore-flagged vessel could face the death penalty after being detained in Indonesia since July 2024.
Raju Muthukumaran (38), Selvadurai Dinakaran (34), and Govindhasamy Vimalkandhan (45), all from Tamil Nadu, are accused of smuggling 106 kg of crystal meth aboard the Legend Aquarius cargo vessel. The three men, who worked in the shipping industry in Singapore, were arrested by Indonesian authorities after their vessel was intercepted in the Pongkar waters of Karimun district, approximately one hour by ferry from Singapore.
The trio encountered a setback in their defense on March 14, when the vessel captain, scheduled to testify in person, failed to appear in court. Instead, the captain appeared briefly via Zoom, preventing cross-examination by the defense team, which argued that his testimony was essential to proving their innocence.
Prosecutors have demanded the death penalty, the maximum sentence under Indonesian law, while the defense insists that the charges are false. Indian lawyer John Paul, representing the three men, is working alongside an Indonesian law firm, Bambang Supriadi & Partners, to present their case. Paul, from Tamil Nadu, stated that the defense team is focused on exposing inconsistencies in the prosecution’s arguments.
In an effort to bolster their defense, the team presented Soleman B. Ponto, a retired Indonesian Navy officer and international maritime law expert, who testified that, under Indonesian law, the ship’s captain holds sole responsibility for all cargo on board. The defense argues that the captain must have been aware of the drugs, as such a large quantity would be difficult to smuggle without his knowledge.
The case continues to unfold, with the trial scheduled to conclude on April 15, 2025. The defense also questions the absence of the captain’s evidence, which they believe raises doubts about the prosecution’s case.
At a press conference in Batam on July 17, 2024, Indonesian National Narcotic Agency chief Marthinus Hukom alleged that the three men were the drug owners and had commissioned the illicit trip. The defense remains hopeful that they can disprove these allegations through ongoing testimony and expert witness support.
