Twitter
Advertisement

Marines to face tough law

Govt gives nod to prosecute Italian seamen under laws that prescribe death penalty.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

In a strange turn of events, the Centre has opted to give the National Investigation Agency (NIA) permission to prosecute Italian marines -‑ Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone -- accused of killing to two Kerala fishermen in the Indian high seas, under the tough provisions of Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act (SUA Act).

Section 3 (g) (i) of the SU Act, under which the Italian marines have been booked, prescribes death penalty as it clearly states that in connection with a ship… “Whoever unlawfully and intentionally… causes death to any person shall be punished with death.”

Caught in a dilemma after the European Union countries stepped up the pressure and under a veiled warning that “they are carefully assessing the Italian marines case” even threatened to stop Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with India, the three ministries of the central government – home, external affairs and law – were trying to find ways to find a solution to the vexed issue.

Going a step further, the home ministry, through sources, had even blamed the former union home secretary R K Singh for going overboard and taking a unilateral decision to handover the case to the NIA under provisions of the SUA Act.

Speaking to the dna, RK Singh who is a BJP leader now, said that union ministry under Sushilkumar Shinde was trying to spread a canard against him.

“I knew this was not the truth, as the decision was not taken by me alone but was a well thought out collective decision taken by the Attorney General of India and ministries of external affairs and law. It is not easy to go back on such a decision,” R K Singh told dna.

While sources did not spell out the exact reason for giving prosecution sanction to the NIA, they hinted that it was difficult for the NIA to wriggle out of the case and drop the charges as the case was handed over to it because of specific provisions of the SUA Act.

Sources said now it will be prerogative of the special NIA court to take cognisance of the matter and see if tough section 3 (g) (i) of the SUA Act applies to the Italian marines.

The Centre can approach the court to be lenient against the Italian marines to honour the promise, a kind of sovereign guarantee, it gave to the Italian government that the two marines will not be tried for death penalty, sources said.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement