An application to release on bail fourteen Estonian anti-pirate guards who are in prison in India was rejected at Wednesday's court hearing, the Estonian foreign ministry reports.
It follows after the Estonians were arrested after entering Indian waters illegally, Indian officials say.
The employer of the anti-pirate guards, U.S. anti-pirate guard company AdvanFort, submitted on Nov, 28 an application to the Tamil Nadu Supreme Court Madurai College to release the detainees on bail.
The judge decided not to satisfy the application.
Estonian New Delhi embassy consul Margus Särglepp went to Chennai on Monday to meet with the detained Estonian citizens, foreign ministry press specialist Helena Nõmmik said on Monday. She said that the foreign ministry and Estonian embassy in India are communicating constantly with the representatives of AdvanFort, Indian authorities and the imprisoned Estonian citizens.
On October 18, the Indian coastguard detained on October 12 an anti-piracy ship Seaman Guard Ohio, sailing under the Sierra Leone flag, on the board of which there were 35 people.
A total of 33 people, including 14 Estonian anti-piracy armed guards, were imprisoned for the preliminary investigation after allegedly for illegally entering Indian waters as well as several other violations. According to local laws, the court can detain the men without bringing charges for three months. So far, no indictment against them has been submitted.
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