(1)

Whoever unlawfully and intentionally

(a) commits an act of violence against a person on board a fixed platform or a ship which is likely to endanger the safety of the fixed platform or, as the case may be, safe navigation of the ship shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine;

(b) destroys a fixed platform or a ship or causes damage to a fixed platform or a ship or cargo of the ship in such manner which is likely to endanger the safety of such platform or safe navigation of such ship shall be punished with imprisonment for life;

(c) seizes or exercises control over a fixed platform or a ship by force or threatens or in any other form intimidates shall be punished with imprisonment for life;

(d) places or causes to be placed on a fixed platform or a ship, by any means whatsoever, a device or substance which is likely to destroy that fixed platform or that ship or cause damage to that fixed platform or that ship or its cargo which endangers or is likely to endanger that fixed platform or the safe navigation of that ship shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years;

(e) destroys or damages maritime navigational facilities or interferes with their operation if such act is likely to endanger the safe navigation of a ship shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years;

(f) communicates information which he knows to be false thereby endangering the safe navigation of a ship shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years and shall also be liable to fine;

(g) in the course of commission of or in attempt to commit, any of the offences specified in clauses (a) to (d) in connection with a fixed platform or clauses (a) to (f) in connection with a ship

(2)

Whoever attempts to commit, or abets the commission of, an offence punishable under sub-section (1) shall be deemed to have committed such offence and shall be punished with the punishment provided for such offence.

(3)

Whoever unlawfully or intentionally threatens a person to compel that person to do or refrain from doing any act or to commit any offence specified in clause (a), clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-section (1), if such threat is likely to endanger the safe navigation of a ship or safety of a fixed platform shall be punished with the punishment provided for such offence.

(4)

Where any act referred to in sub-section (1) is committed,

(a) against or on board

(b) by a stateless person,

(5)

Where an offence under sub-section (1) is committed and the person accused of or suspected of the commission of such offence is present in the territory of India and is not extradited to any Convention State or Protocol State, as the case may be, such person shall be dealt with in India in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

(6)

On being satisfied that the circumstances so warrant, the Central Government or any other authority designated by it shall take the person referred to in sub-section (5) and present in the territory of India into custody or take measures, in accordance with the law for the time being in force, to ensure his presence in India for such time as is necessary to enable any criminal or extradition proceeding to be instituted:

Provided that when a person is taken into custody under this sub-section, it shall be necessary for the Central Government or any other authority designated by it to notify the Government of any Convention State or Protocol State which have also established jurisdiction over the offence committed or suspected to have been committed by the person in custody.

(7)

Subject to the provisions of sub-section (8), where an offence under sub-section (1) is committed outside India, the person committing such offence may be dealt with in respect thereof as if such offence had been committed at any place within India at which he may be found.

(8)

No Court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under this section which is committed outside India unless

(a) such offence is committed on a fixed platform or on board a ship flying the Indian flag at the time the offence is committed;

(b) such offence is committed on board a ship which is for the time being chartered without crew to a lessee who has his principal place of business, or where he has no such place of business, his permanent residence, is in India; or

(c) the alleged offender is a citizen of India or is on a fixed platform or on board a ship in relation to which such offence is committed when it enters the territorial waters of India or is found in India.