New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the replies of the Centre and the Kerala government to the Italian government's plea for staying the trial of its marines who allegedly gunned down two Indian fishermen off the southern state's coast in February this year.
A bench of justices Altamas Kabir and J Chelameswar also issued notices to the Centre and the State on the plea, which sought quashing of all criminal proceedings against the two Italian Naval officers, Chief Sargeant Massimilano Lattore and Sargeant Salvatore Girone.
As senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for the Italian government, pleaded for an interim stay, the top court said it would have to hear the Union and the state governments before passing any orders and issued notice on the plea for stay. It posted the matter for August 6 for deciding it.
The bench also asked the Centre and the state to file their replies within three weeks on the Italian government's plea for quashing the criminal cases.
Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising, who appeared on behalf of the Centre, wanted that notices should be issued also to the widows of the fishermen but the court said it was not inclined to do so at this stage.
Ms Jaising argued that since there were allegations that the consent of the fishermen's widows were obtained by "illegal means," it would not be proper if the court did not issue them notices.
"It is their husbands who have died," she submitted.
The bench, however, was not convinced by her argument and refrained from issuing notices at present, saying that it may issue notices to the victims' families if and when their presence was required.
Fearing a pirate attack, the two officers on board 'Enrica Lexie,' had allegedly fired at the vessel off Kerala coast, killing the two fishermen. The marines, who were arrested by the Kerala police, are currently out on bail.
The court was hearing a petition filed by the Italian government and its two marines, challenging the May 29 order of the Kerala High Court, which had held that the duo were liable to be tried by an Indian court.
The petitioners have also sought a stay on all further criminal proceedings in the case pending before a Kollam court contending that the Kerala Police had no authority to conduct the probe and courts in India have no jurisdiction as the incident occurred outside the Indian territorial waters.
The Italian government has contended that only the Military Court in Rome has the jurisdiction to prosecute the accused officers as only the Republic of Italy and its institutions (military and judicial) have the authority to deal with any inquiry and consequential legal proceedings against them.
Besides raising the issue of jurisdiction, the Italian government had also argued that marines, who were on the ship to protect it, also enjoy functional autonomy as they were military officers.
According to the petition, the military officials, while protecting the Italian vessel from a pirate attack, allegedly fired upon a fishing boat at 20.5 nautical miles in international waters due to which the two occupants of the boat lost their lives. The Indian territorial waters extend up to 12 nautical miles.