Two Italian marines, accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast, may escape death penalty with the home ministry on Tuesday agreeing not to press for the capital punishment against them.
Asserting that mistakes were made by both sides, Italy on Saturday said India should have realised from the beginning that Kerala judges did not have jurisdiction over the case involving the two Italian marines accused of killing Indian fishermen.
Two Italian marines, who were facing trial in India for allegedly killing two fishermen and were recently granted permission by the Supreme Court to go home to vote in the general election, will not return to India, Italian government said on Monday night.
The National Investigation Agency, which has been asked to probe the killing of two Kerala fishermen allegedly by Italian marines, will not seek the death sentence for the two accused, honouring an assurance given to Italy by India.
Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who were allowed to go home for two weeks by the high court, came by a special flight for Kochi at 7.50 am, airport sources said.
The US has refused to involve itself in the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Italy over two Italian marines who skipped bail while on trial for murder, saying it is an issue for the two nations to resolve.
Italy mayor offers education aid to slain fishermen's kids Amid the controversy over Rome's refusal to send back its two marines, the mayor of their home town Taranto in Italy has offered to provide education to the orphaned children of the two Kerala fishermen, according to an Italian news agency. Mayor Ippazio Stefano of Italian city Taranto has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying his city is ready to welcome the "unfortunate children" of the
The Centre said it does not object if Grione's bail conditions are relaxed on the same lines as was done in the case of another marine Massimiliano Latorre.
In Rome, the Italian Foreign Ministry in a statement said: "In the light of the developments in the situation in Kerala and the charges against the two Italian servicemen, Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, the Italian ambassador to New Delhi, Giacomo Sanfelice has been recalled to Rome for consultations with the government".
A team of National Investigation Agency sleuths is likely to visit Italy to question four Italian marines, who were witnesses to the killing of two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, after their refusal to come to India for deposition before investigators.
The Supreme Court on Friday permitted two Italian marines, accused of shooting dead two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala, to travel to their country to cast vote in the upcoming elections there.
The Pakistan maritime security agency apprehended 12 Indian fishermen and seized their two boats near the international maritime boundary on Sunday, a Porbandar-based non-government organisation claimed.
Unhappy over India's handling of the marine's issue, Italy took the matter to the International Tribunal on Law of the Sea challenging Indian jurisdiction in the case.
Granting them bail, Justice NK Balakrishnan said the two accused should execute a bond for Rs 1 crore each, besides two Indian sureties for the like amount
In a setback to Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen, the Supreme Court on Friday turned down their government's plea that Indian courts had no jurisdiction in the case and directed that their trial be conducted by a special court.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Kerala government to consider within one week the plea for transferring to a guest house the two Italian marines, arrested in connection with the killing of Indian fishermen, on board the Enrica Lexie.
Expressing concern over the delay in the trial of its marines charged with murder, Italy on Wednesday ruled out sending four seamen as witnesses in the case and sought other legal options to take forward the investigation.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of Italian merchant navy ship Enrica Lexie. which was seized after two of its marines had allegedly killed two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in February this year.
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.
Italy, which has pardoned a United States air force officer, convicted in absentia last year for his role in the Central Investigation Agency abduction of an Egyptian terror suspect, hoped that India will follow the same principle for two Italian marines facing murder chargers for shooting two fishermen in India.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday termed as "unacceptable" Italy's refusal to send its two marines back to India where they were facing trial for killing two fishermen and said the issue will be taken up with that country.
A day after its envoy to Rome was summoned in connection with the arrest of two Italian marines for allegedly killing two Indian fishermen, India on Wednesday asserted the country's laws were applicable in the incident and it will abide by the outcome of legal process in Kerala.
Confusion prevails over the laws under which the Italian marine duo, accused of killing two Kerala fishermen, are to be prosecuted amid indications that the high-profile case may be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation from the National Investigation Agency.
Echoing the national anger over the issue of marines, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday accused Italy of "betrayal" and asserted that no country will be allowed to take India for granted.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will convey the state government's 'serious concern' over Italy's refusal to send back two marines who have been accused of shooting to death two fishermen off the state's coast in February 2012.
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.
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 SC agreed to hear on September 20 Latorre's plea which has sought the same bail conditions applicable to co-accused Salvatore Girone.
Setting the stage for the settlement, the Kerala High court had earlier in the day permitted the family members of Valentine Jalastine and Ajesh Binki to withdraw their contentions made against Italy's plea for quashing the FIR against the marines.
A Special Investigation Team of the Kerala Police on Saturday began the search and ballistic examination of weapons on board oil tanker Enrica Lexie in the presence of Italian experts who arrived in Kochi on Saturday morning from Rome. Police will seize and seal the fire arms, suspected to have been used by the two arrested Italian naval guards Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, in the killing of two Indian fishermen off Kollam coast on February 15.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the Italian government contended before a bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir that NIA, which has been asked by the Centre to probe the case, has no jurisdiction to conduct the investigation as the charges which have been slapped on the marines are not covered by the NIA Act.
Stepping up pressure, Italy on Tuesday recalled its Ambassador in New Delhi over the issue of two Italian marines facing trial in India and lashed out at Indian authorities for their "ambiguous and unreliable" behaviour.
Italy on Saturday said it expects "fair and fast" trial of its marines, allegedly involved in the killing of two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast, that should be to the satisfaction of both the countries.
The incident of two Italian marines allegedly shooting dead two Indian fishermen off Kerala's coast in February and the subsequent legal and diplomatic issues made headlines throughout 2012, which also saw many developments on the state's political arena.
Seeking to re-assure Italy, India on Friday said any doubts on Italian marines being put on trial for committing a terror act should be set aside as the National Investigation Agency is the only agency available to the government for investigating the killing of two Indian fishermen in high seas. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said he would read the assignment of the task to the NIA, not through the NIA Act but by nomination made through the order of the SC.
The Bharatiya Janata Party in Kerala has slammed Ferrari's move to display the Italian Navy flag on its racing cars during the Indian Grand Prix to express solidarity with two Italian marines facing trial in Kerala for gunning down two Indian fishermen.
BJP today termed as "betrayal and bluff" the Italian government's refusal to send back two marines charged with shooting dead two Indian fishermen and demanded that all efforts be made to bring them back to face trial in the case.
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the National Investigation Agency to probe the case against two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen and asked the special court to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis after the charge sheet is filed.
Italy on Thursday asked the Kerala government to implement the guidelines outlined in the Geneva Agreement for war prisoners in the case of two Italian marines, who were arrested and lodged at the Central prison in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with the killing of two Indian fishermen.
