GAURAV KUMAR BANSAL vs UNION OF INDIA .

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 international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation Act, 2002. The Court highlighted the inadequacy of the government's response to the petitions filed by the relatives of the captives, asserting that effective measures must be implemented to protect the life and liberty of Indian citizens at sea. The petitions were treated as Public Interest Litigations (PILs) aimed at enforcing the rights of the affected seamen.