The Wall Street Journal 1 HR agoWorld
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India's Supreme Court said a federal investigative agency will continue to probe the case of two Italian marines accused of murder, a development that is likely to deepen a long-running diplomatic dispute between India and Italy.
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India's Supreme Court said a federal investigative agency will continue to probe the case of two Italian marines accused of murder, a development that is likely to deepen a long-running diplomatic dispute between India and Italy.
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A file photo of Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre, right, and Salvatore Girone, left.
Vincenzo Pinto/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
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NEW DELHI–India’s Supreme Court Friday said that a federal investigative agency will continue to probe the case of two Italian marines accused of murder, a development that is likely to deepen a long-running diplomatic dispute between India and Italy.
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The Italian government had strongly opposed handing over the case to India’s National Investigation Agency, since the federal body is empowered to seek the death penalty.
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The naval officers, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, are accused of shooting and killing two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February 2012. Italy says the marines mistook the fishermen for pirates and fired warning shots. Both men deny murder.
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Since then, Rome and New Delhi have disagreed over where the two men should be tried. Italy says that, since the incident happened in international water, its own courts have jurisdiction.
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In January, India’s Supreme Court ruled against Italy, saying that a special court in Delhi would handle the case instead. On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that a special court that only handles National Investigation Agency cases will hear the criminal case.
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The National Investigation Agency is a body that has a mandate focused on antipiracy and antiterrorism and is empowered to investigate and prosecute crimes that fall under India’s maritime safety act, which says that offenses that cause “death to any person shall be punished with death.”
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Tensions between the two countries escalated last month, when the Italian government said it would not return the two officers from a four-week trip to Italy.
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The Supreme Court had allowed the men to go home to vote in national elections on the proviso they would come back. Italy’s initial U-turn angered New Delhi, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warning of consequences to diplomatic ties unless the marines returned.
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Eventually, the Italian government bowed to pressure from New Delhi and the marines were flown back to India.
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But before agreeing to return the naval officers, the Italian government sought assurances from Indian officials that the death penalty was not applicable to the two men.
There is no death penalty in Italy.
A lawyer for the marines and for the Italian government was not reachable for comment.
NEW DELHI–India’s Supreme Court Friday said that a federal investigative agency will continue to probe the case of two Italian marines accused of murder, a development that is likely to deepen a long-running diplomatic dispute between India and Italy.
.
The Italian government had strongly opposed handing over the case to India’s National Investigation Agency, since the federal body is empowered to seek the death penalty.
.
The naval officers, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, are accused of shooting and killing two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February 2012. Italy says the marines mistook the fishermen for pirates and fired warning shots. Both men deny murder.
.
Since then, Rome and New Delhi have disagreed over where the two men should be tried. Italy says that, since the incident happened in international water, its own courts have jurisdiction.
.
In January, India’s Supreme Court ruled against Italy, saying that a special court in Delhi would handle the case instead. On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that a special court that only handles National Investigation Agency cases will hear the criminal case.
.
The National Investigation Agency is a body that has a mandate focused on antipiracy and antiterrorism and is empowered to investigate and prosecute crimes that fall under India’s maritime safety act, which says that offenses that cause “death to any person shall be punished with death.”
.
Tensions between the two countries escalated last month, when the Italian government said it would not return the two officers from a four-week trip to Italy.
.
The Supreme Court had allowed the men to go home to vote in national elections on the proviso they would come back. Italy’s initial U-turn angered New Delhi, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warning of consequences to diplomatic ties unless the marines returned.
.
Eventually, the Italian government bowed to pressure from New Delhi and the marines were flown back to India.
.
But before agreeing to return the naval officers, the Italian government sought assurances from Indian officials that the death penalty was not applicable to the two men.
There is no death penalty in Italy.
A lawyer for the marines and for the Italian government was not reachable for comment.
