Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh held a press conference on Wednesday (August 20, 2025) on several serious cases related to the Indian Merchant Navy at the Press Club of India. He said that the deaths and missing Indian sailors are often suppressed as an accident or suicide, while the layers of organized disturbances and exploitation are hidden in them.
Sanjay Singh alleged that suspicious incidents are covered with connivance of shipping companies, marine unions and DG shipping. He said that crores of rupees are being rigged in insurance and welfare funds, which is not only playing with safety of sailors, but also a violation of the Merchant Shipping Act 1958, RPSL Rules 2016 and Maritime Labor Convocation (MLC) 2006.
Sanjay Singh’s information about the sailors working in many shipping companies
The cases that the AAP leader exposed, included many companies. Many serious developments related to Anglo Eastern Ship Management were revealed. The death of Chief Engineer Sanjay Chaudhary was described as a cardiac attack, while the medical board report confirmed the death from poison and suffocation. The death of third officer of the same company in Gibraltar was called suicide, but India’s investigation revealed murder. Cadet Jatin Mishra, who is associated with the same company, has been missing since 2019, which has no post mortem records available.
Cadet Dhananjay Arora, associated with Fleet Management Private Limited, is said to be missing since 2020. His last photo shows signs of torture. The death of oil Saurabh Pandey, working in Ocean Host Ship Management, was reported to have fallen into the sea, but the dead body and the disturbances found in the contract and insurance later questioned it. At the same time, the case of Captain Vivek Verma, who was associated with Ousaland Ship Management, also came into the limelight, who faced forcibly surgery in Iran in 2018 and died a month later.
Cases see a clean pattern- Sanjay Singh
Sanjay Singh said, “A clean pattern comes out from these matters. The net of fake companies and agents, changes in contracts and illegal transfer, torture on ships and suspected deaths, DG shipping and connivance of unions and disturbances in insurance and compensation have been repeatedly revealed.”
Sharing the figures obtained from RTI, he said, “Between 1 January, 2018 to June 1, 2022, 383 Indian sailors died and 84 sailors went missing in the sea. Out of which the Anglo Eastern Ship Management Company alone records a record of 46 deaths, of which many suspected were found.
The horrific truth associated with Merchant Navy.
In 5 years, 350 Indian sailors’ deaths and missing are not ‘systematic murder and organized scam’.
Shipping companies are doing business of human trafficking and drugs with the connivance of DG shipping.
Crores also in the insurance amount received after death… pic.twitter.com/URGAVMT5BF– Sanjay Singh aap (@sanjayazadsln) August 21, 2025
Appealed to top investigative agencies in the families of the deceased to conduct an inquiry- Sanjay Singh
The MP said, “The victim families are constantly demanding justice. Their main demands include independent and time -bound investigation, action on fake agents and guilty companies, cancellation of licenses of guilty companies and immediate payment of insurance claims. Also, families have appealed to agencies like ED, CBI and NIA to conduct joint inquiry.”
Will meet the shipping minister and demand an inquiry
Sanjay Singh announced that he would raise the issue vigorously in Parliament and will meet the shipping minister and formally demand a joint inquiry. He said that this matter is not only limited to the death of sailors, but is also related to human rights and international credibility of the country.
What is the legal aspect
Currently, these matters are being heard in Delhi, Mumbai and Allahabad High Courts. According to Sanjay Singh, in these incidents, major provisions like Merchant Shipping Act 1958, RPSL Rules 2016, Maritime Labor Convention 2006, Employees Companion Act 1923, ISM Code and Semamen Provident Fund Act 1966 have been violated.
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