Three Indian nationals face death penalty in Indonesia for smuggling crystal meth

Three Indian nationals from Tamil Nadu identified as Raju Muthukumaran (38), Selvadurai Dinakaran (34), and Govindhasamy Vimalkandhan (45), face the death penalty in Indonesia for allegedly smuggling 106 kg of crystal meth aboard the Singapore-flagged vessel Legend Aquarius.

The trio, all of whom have experience in the shipping industry in Singapore, were arrested in July 2024 after Indonesian authorities intercepted their vessel in the Karimun district, near Singapore. The arrest came after a tip-off regarding suspected drug trafficking activities.

Indonesian prosecutors are demanding the death penalty, the highest punishment in Indonesia. However, the defense team, led by Indian lawyer John Paul and the Indonesian firm Bambang Supriadi and Partners, argued that the men are innocent and the charges are false.