A court here on Saturday rejected the bail application of two Italian marines accused in the fishermen killing case, holding that granting it might affect progress of the case.
Rejecting the plea of Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, detained for the last three months, District and Sessions Judge P.D. Rajan said releasing them from prison on bail at this juncture might affect the conduct of the case.
The marines on board the Italian ship ‘Enrica Lexie’ had allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen --Valentine Jalastine and Ajesh Bi -- on February 15, apparently mistaking them for pirates.
The marines, who were arrested on February 19, are lodged in the Central Prison at Thiruvananthapuram under judicial remand.
Police had on Friday filed the charge sheet in a court here charging them with murder under the Indian Penal Code and also invoking the International Maritime Law in the incident which had led to a diplomatic row between India and Italy.
Within hours after the charge sheet was filed, Italy called back its Ambassador to India for “consultations”.
Italy insists that since the incident occurred in international waters, the marines should be tried in Italian courts rather than Indian courts.
Keywords: Italian marines arrest
Italian ministers had come and camped in Kerala and could do precious
little to help the jailed marines. Then in what way the two marines
who could speak hardly any English even and Malayalam limited to
'kothu' or 'eli' could hamper the progress of the case? Politician in
India who have have been authors of great scams are released on bail
and it is sure that they could hamper the progress of the case. In
this case of killing it was by accident as the fishermen were mistaken
for pirates. It was not a premeditated murder. This judgement may have
more to do with the politics than with the crime. ( As usual you will
not put it. I know. I just wrote for your eyes only. V.K.Guptan )
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