2 min readThiruvanananthapuramUpdated: Mar 9, 2026 09:22 PM IST
A Republic TV reporter and cameraman, who were arrested under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly attempting to record visuals of the Iranian navy vessel, IRIS Lavan, approached a court in Kochi on Monday seeking bail.
After hearing their bail pleas, the First Class Magistrate Court reserved its verdict for Tuesday.
The vessel has been docked at the Southern Coil Berth of the Cochin Port since March 4, in the wake of tensions in West Asia that broke out following attacks on Iran by the US and Israel.
Republic TV reporter Sankar C G and cameraman S Mani, along with their speedboat driver, Vijaya Kumar P, were arrested on Saturday while attempting to record visuals of the vessel.
They were arrested under Sections 3(1) and 5 of the Official Secrets Act by the Harbour police. The FIR alleged that they trespassed into the Southern Coil Berth of the port and tried to record images of the vessel and circulate them, allegedly posing a threat to national security. The FIR said the ship has been anchored at the port as part of a diplomatic decision by India. The accused were then remanded in judicial custody.
Advocate Luke J Chirayil on Monday argued that Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act could not be slapped on the arrested persons, and that the media had already reported the previous day about the anchoring of the Iranian ship. Police could not recover any videos or photos from the arrested persons, he claimed.
