New Delhi [India], January 15 (ANI): Following the detention of 16 Indian crew members of the vessel MT Valiant Roar by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the family of Third Engineer Ketan Mehta has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and secure his release.
The MT Valiant Roar was intercepted by the IRGC on December 8, 2025, in international waters near Dibba Port in the UAE. Iranian authorities have accused the vessel of smuggling 6,000 metric tonnes of fuel.
Ketan’s father, Mukesh Mehta, said the family last heard from him on December 31, 2025. He said Ketan spoke to his parents on New Year’s Eve and reassured them that he was safe.
After losing his phone, Ketan communicated with his family through a colleague, an oiler named Pothi Diwakar. When Mukesh Mehta later managed to contact Diwakar, he was informed that the IRGC had officially arrested 10 crew members, including Ketan.
The family said they have reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy. “The MEA asked for his passport details, which we provided immediately. But since then, there has been no update, no clarity, and no reassurance,” Mukesh Mehta said.
Meanwhile, Ketan’s mother, Rajni Mehta, remains distraught. She has not spoken to her son for more than two weeks and fears for his basic safety in an Iranian detention centre.
The family has made an emotional appeal to Prime Minister Modi, urging him to personally intervene. “The matter is grave. Our son is innocent and was just doing his job. We beg the Prime Minister to use his diplomatic influence to bring our son back home before it’s too late,” Mukesh Mehta said. (ANI)
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