Editing INS Vikrant (1961) (section)

==Scrapping==

[[File:INS Vikrant being scapped.jpg|thumb|''Vikrant'' being scrapped at Mumbai]]

In August 2013, [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] [[Shekhar Sinha]], Commander-in-Chief of the [[Western Naval Command]], said the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] would scrap the ship as she had become very difficult to maintain and no private bidders had offered to fund the museum's operations.<ref name="Naik">{{cite news|url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/Vikrant-museum-to-be-scrapped-as-Navy-readies-new-carrier/articleshow/21740538.cms|title=Vikrant museum to be scrapped as Navy readies new carrier|last=Naik|first=Yogesh|date=10 August 2013|newspaper=[[Mumbai Mirror]]|access-date=13 August 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114035754/http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/Vikrant-museum-to-be-scrapped-as-Navy-readies-new-carrier/articleshow/21740538.cms|archive-date=14 November 2013}}</ref> On 3 December 2013, the Indian government decided to auction the ship.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=First Post India|title=Govt to auction decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Vikrant|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/govt-to-auction-decommissioned-aircraft-carrier-ins-vikrant-1265381.html|date=4 December 2013|access-date=4 December 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217120024/http://www.firstpost.com/india/govt-to-auction-decommissioned-aircraft-carrier-ins-vikrant-1265381.html|archive-date=17 December 2013}}</ref> The [[Bombay High Court]] dismissed a [[Public interest litigation in India|public-interest lawsuit]] filed by Kiran Paigankar to stop the auction, stating the vessel's dilapidated condition did not warrant her preservation, nor were the necessary funds or government support available.<ref>{{cite news|first=Nargish|last=Sunavala|date=3 February 2014|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Not-museum-but-scrapyard-for-warship-Vikrant/articleshow/29795409.cms|title=Not museum but scrapyard for INS Vikrant|newspaper=Times of India|access-date=4 February 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828014904/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Not-museum-but-scrapyard-for-warship-Vikrant/articleshow/29795409.cms|archive-date=28 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/Crushing-museum-dreams-court-says-INS-Vikrant-must-be-scrapped/articleshow/29265563.cms|title=Crushing museum dreams, court says INS Vikrant must be scrapped|newspaper=Mumbai Mirror|date=24 February 2014|access-date=23 February 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226142438/http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/Crushing-museum-dreams-court-says-INS-Vikrant-must-be-scrapped/articleshow/29265563.cms|archive-date=26 February 2014}}</ref>

In January 2014, the ship was sold through an online auction to a Darukhana [[Ship breaking|ship-breaker]] for {{INRconvert|60|c|lk=on}}.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[Indian Express]]|date=21 November 2014|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/dismantling-of-iconic-warship-ins-vikrant-begins/|title=Dismantling Vikrant begins|access-date=12 May 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426080905/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/dismantling-of-iconic-warship-ins-vikrant-begins/|archive-date=26 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=India's first aircraft carrier slips into history &#124; India News - Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indias-first-aircraft-carrier-slips-into-history/articleshow/45237088.cms |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141123081000/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indias-first-aircraft-carrier-slips-into-history/articleshow/45237088.cms |archive-date=23 November 2014 |access-date=22 November 2014 |website=[[The Times of India]]|date=22 November 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Not-museum-but-scrapyard-for-warship-Vikrant/articleshow/29795409.cms|title=Not museum but scrapyard for warship Vikrant|date=3 February 2014|newspaper=Times of India|access-date=29 August 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828014904/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Not-museum-but-scrapyard-for-warship-Vikrant/articleshow/29795409.cms|archive-date=28 August 2017}}</ref> The [[Supreme Court of India]] dismissed another lawsuit challenging the ship's sale and scrapping on 14 August 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Activists move Supreme Court over Sale of INS Vikrant to Ship Breaker|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/04/activists-move-supreme-court-over-sale-of-ins-vikrant-to-ship-breaker/|work=Bihar Prabha|date=14 August 2014|access-date=9 April 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413123431/http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/04/activists-move-supreme-court-over-sale-of-ins-vikrant-to-ship-breaker/|archive-date=13 April 2014}}</ref> ''Vikrant'' remained beached off Darukhana in Mumbai Port while awaiting the final clearances of the [[Mumbai Port Trust]]. On 12 November 2014, the Supreme Court gave its final approval for the carrier to be scrapped, which commenced on 22 November 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indias-first-aircraft-carrier-slips-into-history/articleshow/45237088.cms|title=India's first aircraft carrier slips into history|date=22 November 2014|newspaper=Times of India|access-date=22 November 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141123081000/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indias-first-aircraft-carrier-slips-into-history/articleshow/45237088.cms|archive-date=23 November 2014}}</ref>

On 7 April 2022, an FIR against an ex-MP [[Kirit Somaiya]], his son Neil, and others was registered, on charges of alleged cheating and criminal breach of trust linked to the collection of funds up to Rs. 57 crore for restoring the decommissioned aircraft carrier INS ''Vikrant''. The [[Trombay]] Police booked them under [[Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code|Section 420]] (cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property) and [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_5_23_00037_186045_1523266765688&sectionId=46189&sectionno=406&orderno=463 Section 406] (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_5_23_00037_186045_1523266765688&sectionId=45765&sectionno=34&orderno=35 Section 34] (common intentions) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the complaint, the father and son duo collected the money in 2013–14 in the name of restoring ''Vikrant'', but the funds collected were spent on personal use.

Somaiya was leading the front of attacking the government's intent of commercializing the decommissioned ship by handing it to private players.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shaikh |first=Zeeshan |date=8 April 2022 |title=Explained: The cheating case related to INS ''Vikrant'' in which BJP's Kirit Somaiya, son have been booked |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-the-cheating-case-ins-vikrant-kirit-somaiya-son-booked-7858567/ |website=The Indian Express}}</ref>