NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India on Thursday ordered the Italian ambassador not to leave the country after Rome’s refusal to send back two marines charged with the murder of two fishermen in Kerala last year.
Indian government allowed Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone to return home in February to vote in national elections and to celebrate Easter. However, on Monday Italy informed India that the marines would not be coming back to face trial as promised, leading to a diplomatic row between the two countries.
On Tuesday, India summoned the Italian ambassador in Delhi to lodge a protest against Rome’s decision not to return two marines. Italy for its part has asked India to set up a meeting of diplomats in order to reach “an amicable solution”.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday demanded Italy to send back two marines charged with the murder of two fishermen in Kerala last year or “there will be consequences.”
Italy’s refusal to send back the marines was “unacceptable” and it threatened to damage relations between the two nations, Singh told Parliament on Wednesday.
Separately, an Indian politician who heads a regional party has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the Italian government over the decision.
The Indian top court, in its order issued on Thursday, asked ambassador Daniele Mancini not to leave India, and sought a reply from him by March 18, raising questions about whether this violated the envoy’s diplomatic immunity.
“The Chief Justice issued a notice to the Italian ambassador stating not to leave the country and has sought a reply from the ambassador by March 18,” said Viplav Sharma, defence counsel for the Italian marines.
The marines were part of a military security team aboard a cargo ship when they opened fire on a fishing boat in February 2012, they said they mistook them for pirates.
DND
