Gaurav Kumar Bansal vs Union Of India And Ors

The Supreme Court directed the Government of India to take immediate action to secure the release of Indian seamen held hostage by Somali pirates, emphasizing the government's duty under the Admiralty Offences (Colonial) Act, 1849 and the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act, 2002. The Court highlighted the need for the government to establish protocols for the protection of Indian nationals at sea, as piracy is a violation of international law under UNCLOS. The petitions were treated as Public Interest Litigations (PILs) aimed at enforcing the rights of individual seamen.