"Italy is willing to try the marines at home, but in the meantime we ask for their freedom," said Interior Minister Angelino Alfano was quoted as saying by ANSA news agency.
In a fresh development in the Italian marines case, the Law Ministry on Saturday concurred with the External Affairs Ministry on non-applicability of a controversial anti-piracy law which is being strongly contested by the Italian government.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has said the trial of two marines in India over the killing of two Indian fishermen has run into new "difficulty" because of upcoming general elections in that country.
The top court termed the Rs 10 crore compensation paid by the Republic of Italy over and above the payment already made as "reasonable and adequate".
The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre on a plea by one of the Italian marines, facing murder charges in India, to travel to his country for medical treatment for two months.
The court also asked the government to appraise it of the status of international arbitration proceedings to be undertaken in pursuance of directions of International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in the matter on April 13, the next date of hearing.
The Central government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has deposited with the top court Rs 10 crore paid by the republic of Italy as compensation to the families of the two Kerala fishermen who were shot dead in 2012 by two Italian marines aboard the MV Enrica Lexie ship -- an Italian flagged oil tanker -- in lieu of closure of criminal cases against the two navy personnel in India.
In a U-turn in the Kerala fishermen killing case, the Union home ministry on Friday asked the National Investigation Agency to dilute the charges against the two accused Italian marines from murder to violence, thus sparing them from the possibility of getting death penalty.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution asking India to allow the return of two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen, drawing a sharp reaction from New Delhi which termed the step not "well advised" as the matter was sub judice.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused the pleas of murder accused Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre seeking extension of his stay in Italy on health grounds and his fellow marine permission to travel there for Christmas, leading them to withdraw their applications.
Taking note of a plea by some fishermen seeking compensation, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Kerala high court not to disburse any amount from the Rs 2 crore earmarked for the owner of fishing boat St Antony in which two fishermen were killed by Italian marines in 2012.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to make its stand clear on disputes arising out of the issue of invoking anti-piracy law against two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012.
Italy has regretted that the case of two of its marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen should have been resolved in the first three days of the incident, before the issue became enmeshed in India's "deadly judicial and political-electoral gears".
Four Italian marines, who were witnesses to the killing of two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast allegedly by two of their colleagues, will not be sent to India for deposing as witnesses, Defence Minister Mario Mauro has said.
Italian PM Paolo Gentiloni's visit is the first prime ministerial trip from Italy in more than a decade.
The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India H L Dattu on Monday referred to another bench a plea of Massimiliano Latorre, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing Indian fishermen in 2012, seeking extension of his stay in Italy on health grounds.
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to deposit in its account the compensation given by Italy for the kin of two Indian fishermen killed by Italian Marines off the Kerala coast in February 2012.
India has told an international tribunal that the case of two Italian marines, accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala's coast, comes under its jurisdiction and Italy's contentions in this regard were "misleading".
Italy will take up at the "international level" the trial of two marines in India for the killing of two Indian fishermen, Premier Enrico Letta has said.
Italian Marine Massimiliano Latorre, who along with a colleague is accused of killing Indian fishermen in 2012, moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking extension of his stay in Italy on medical grounds.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed Massimiliano Latorre, the second Italian marine accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012, to remain in his country till the international arbitral tribunal decided the jurisdictional issue.
the SC said, "We want that adequate compensation be paid to the victims' family".
The Centre said that the arbitration under United Nation Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS), which was instituted on a request from the Republic of Italy has delivered its Award on May 21, 2020.
Hours after India decided not to prosecute two of its marines accused of killing Indian fishermen under the strict anti-piracy SUA law, Italy said the decision was the "fruit of Italian firmness".
Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre would have heaved a sigh of relief after the Supreme Court granted him three months extension on Wednesday on grounds of health.
Italy on Thursday said the trial against its two marines, who allegedly killed Indian fishermen off Kerala coast last year, will be fast and fair and India will honour its commitment given to Rome.
A bench comprising Justices A R Dave, Kurian Joseph and Amitava Roy asked the Italian authority to give an undertaking to abide by the conditions under which Latorre was allowed to leave India.
"We grant the extension till July 15," said a three-judge bench of justices.
The National Investigating Agency on Thursday told a special court New Delhi that it was "ready" with a charge sheet against two Italian marines, accused of killing to Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, and would file it after the Supreme Court decides on the issue raised by the Italian government.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended all court proceedings in India relating to the trial of two Italian marines in connection with the 2012 killing of two fishermen off Kerala coast.
Four Italian marines, who were witness to the killing of fishermen off Kerala coast allegedly by two of their colleagues, have refused to come to India for deposing as witness, which will further delay the case.
The apex court imposed four conditions on the marine.
In a blow to Italy's attempt to internationalise the case of two Italian marines being tried in India for killing two fishermen, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked Rome to resolve the issue bilaterally.
NIA is likely to question four Italian marines, who were witness to the killing of two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, through video conferencing after their refusal to come to India for deposition and home ministry's reluctance to send any team to Rome to quiz them.
Two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012 will not be prosecuted under the stringent anti-piracy SUA law that attracts death penalty as maximum punishment, the Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to resolve within a week all disputes arising out of the issue of invoking anti-piracy law against two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012.
The Ministry of Home Affairs feels that awarding death penalty to the duo will sour ties with Italy, reports Vicky Nanjappa.
The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday opposed in a Delhi court the pleas filed by two Italian marines, accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, seeking exemption from personal appearance on the ground that chargesheet has not been filed in the case.
Italy in March had asked the PCA judges to order India to release its detained marine Girone, saying otherwise he risks four more years in India without any charges being made which would amount to 'grave violation of his human rights'.
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed one of the two Italian marines, facing murder charges in India, to travel to his country for medical treatment for four months after the Centre said that "in principle" it has no objection to the plea.
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