IBRAHIM AND ORS. vs STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ANR.

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of ten seamen under Sections 191(1)(a) and (b), 194(b) and (e), and 436 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, for desertion after they left their ship due to a dispute over bazar money. The Court established that desertion requires an intention not to return to the ship, which was evident as the seamen used a strike to force their demands. The Court found no reasonable cause for their absence, affirming that their actions constituted desertion under the Act.