Bhubaneswar, Feb. 24 -- The Orissa High Court on Friday ordered the 'arrest' of cargo ship MV Debi anchored at Paradip port in Jagatsinghpur district from which cocaine worth Rs 220 crore was seized in November last year.

A bench of Justice V Narasingh passed the order while hearing an admiralty suit filed by Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT). The plaintiff prayed to the court for a decree against the cargo ship to pay a sum of Rs 7.95 crore towards berth and penal berth charges.

The petitioner also sought the arrest of the vessel under Section 5(1) of the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act, 2017 (hereinafter referred to as "Act, 2017").

Acting on the petition, Justice V Narasingh said, "This Court...