26/11 trial: Kuber owner deposes before special court

Mumbai, Jun 5 (PTI) The owner of fishing vessel M V Kuber
Friday told a special court here in India's financial capital
that he came to learn about the boat's disappearance a day
prior to the gunmen's landing in the city who carried out the
November 26 terror strikes.

The Kuber was allegedly hijacked in international waters
by Pakistani vessel Al-Hussaini and used by the gunmen to come
near the city's shores for carrying out the terror strikes on
November 26 last, according to police.

Vinod Masani, whose family owns six fishing boats in
Porbander in Gujarat, Friday told the court that M V Kuber set
sail from Porbander port on November 14 last with another
vessel M V Maa and was scheduled to return in 10 to 12 days.

Masani when asked by special public prosecutor Ujjwal
Nikam said there were five sailors on board the boat.

Amarsingh Solanki, who was the navigator of the vessel
since about November 2007, Balwant Prabhu, Nathu Nanu, Ramesh
Nagji and Mukesh Amboo were aboard the boat when it set sail
with rations and fuel for the fishing trip, Masani said.

"On November 25 only the fishing vessel Maa returned to
Porbander. When I asked the navigator of the vessel why Kuber
had not returned with him, he said they were separated by a
storm at sea," Masani told the court.

After waiting for two more days, Masani said, he spoke
with Manish Lodhari, head of the National Fish Forum, on
November 27 and asked him to inform the Coast Guard about his
missing vessel.

Masani said he had not called authorities on November 25
when he first heard the boat was missing since it was not
unusual for the boat to be a few days late returning to port.

Lodhari then got him in touch with Coast Guard
authorities in Mumbai, who after asking him details about the
boat and its crew told him to come to the city, Masani said.

After speaking with Coast Guard authorities, Masani said
he was called by the Porbandar Superintendent of Police and on
December 2 he came to Mumbai along with Gujarat police
personnel.

Masani told the court, after arriving in Mumbai he met
with an official from the Crime Branch of the city police and
was taken to Sewree ferry where he was shown a boat and he
identified it as M V Kuber.

"I have not seen either the navigator or any other
members of the crew since the boat set sail on November 14,"
Masani said.

Masani said he later learnt of the murder of Solanki, the
navigator of the MV Kuber, and the fisherman's body was taken
for final rites to Diu by his son. There was no information so
far about the other sailors, he said.

The prosecution will continue to examine Masani on
Monday.

Mohammed Ajmal Kasab and two others are facing trial for
their alleged involvement in the November 26 terror strikes in
which over 180 people were killed and more than 200 injured.
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