An Indian merchant navy captain has been arrested in the United Kingdom over alleged violations of British sanctions on Russian oil shipments. Captain Ajay Pant, a 38-year-old from Uttarakhand's Nainital, was serving as the master of the tanker MV Smyrtos when it was intercepted in the English Channel during a joint operation by the UK National Crime Agency and the British Armed Forces. British prosecutors allege the vessel was part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" used to bypass Western sanctions and claim it entered UK waters without a legitimate flag. Pant has been remanded to judicial custody and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission in London is closely monitoring the case.
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