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The Union government today told the Supreme Court that the Muscat authorities are examining the claims of ransom calls received by the family of merchant navy captain Ashish Kumar, who was feared dead after a drone/missile attack in the Strait of Hormuz. 

A bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that DNA profiling of the mortal remains, believed to be of captain Kumar's and found on the merchant vessel, could not be done by Muscat authorities, as the remains were severely burnt. 

On the claims of the merchant navy captain's family that there had been ransom calls since his disappearance and there was a possibility of him being alive as the DNA matching was not successful, the SG said that the Muscat authorities were looking into the matter. 

"The bones which were recovered were so burnt that it could not be analyzed by DNA. There was one more concern the family has raised - that the mobile phone of the captain was found and that was sometimes showing holding...DP (display picture) was also changed. Our Embassy in Muscat has reported this fact to their counterpart", the SG said.

The captain's wife claimed to have received multiple ransom calls in March, which raised a demand of Rs.2 million. The SG said that in view of the suspicious ransom calls and negative DNA report, the family had requested intensive efforts for searching the captain, tracking of the mobile phones, and investigation of the related records.

He stated that a letter was received from the Muscat authorities that they are examining the matter and doing what they can. The CJI told the petitioner's counsel to take a copy of the report from the SG and posted the matter on Monday. 

Case - ANSHU KUMARI Versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. W.P.(Crl.) No. 322/2026

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