Italian Marines Case: SC to hear Centre's plea to close trial against accused on April 9

The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard the Centre's plea seeking closure of the judicial proceedings against two Italian marines, accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. During the proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the victims' families had been paid compensation. 

The Centre, represented by SG Tushar Mehta had requested the CJI-led bench for an urgent hearing of the IA filed by the Union of India in the matter pertaining to Italian marines and shooting incident. During the proceedings, the CJI asked SG Mehta for the orders from Trial Court after which the SG informed that the matter was settled and compensation had been paid.

"The matter is now settled, we were asked to meet victims, they have been compensated. It only has to be disposed," said SG Tushar Mehta.

After the court said that it would take up the matter for hearing next week, SG Mehta requested an urgent hearing saying, "Please take it up on Friday. There’s urgency. It's between the Italian and Indian government."

The Bench agreed to the SG Mehta's request placing the Italian Marines Case for urgent hearing on April 9. 

Italian Marines Case 

This development comes nearly 8 months after the Centre in its virtual hearing apprised the Supreme Court about its decision to "accept and abide" by an international tribunal’s award. According to this, Marines, Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre, will be tried in their native country- Italy as India was a party to the UN Convention. The court during its last hearing had also placed that it would only close the criminal trial after a 'hefty compensation' was paid to the slain fishermen's families.

“We appreciate the steps taken by Italy to prosecute the two Marines. You want to withdraw the criminal cases against them, but you have not been able to fix the compensation. Secondly, the fact is that there is a pending trial in a criminal court and the victims’ families are parties there. How can we order withdrawal of the cases here without first hearing them?” Chief Justice Bobde had said.

The case pertains to the shooting of two Indian fishermen by Girone and Latorre who aboard the Italian ship ‘Enrica Lexie’ shot the men allegedly thinking that they were pirates.