A day after the Intelligence Bureau (IB) raided MV Fani, a foreign vessel, in Haldia after reports that it had on board a huge quantity of ammonium nitrate — used as explosives — the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) on Thursday said the police have let off the 24 crew members of the ship, who were of Pakistani origin.

“The police have finally given clearance for the ship to offload the cargo and the work should start tomorrow. The crew has also been given clearance so far as their papers were in order,” said A Majumdar, Acting-Chairman of the KoPT. The ship carrying the ammonium nitrate cargo for a factory in Jharkhand was in the midst of a controversy after being refused permission by the local police to offload its cargo. The ship had been waiting at the sandheads since early this month. Till Wednesday evening, the IB was probing the papers of the crew. Nearly 2,000 tonnes of cargo had already been offloaded when the work was stopped.