Supreme Court Closes The Case Of Italian Sailors

Supreme Court closes the case of Italian sailors, families will get 4-4 crore compensation.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the closure of criminal proceedings in India against two Italian sailors accused of killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in February 2012.

A vacation bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice MR Shah quashed the FIR and proceedings against the two Italian marines in connection with the case.

The bench said that in accordance with the international arbitral decision accepted by India, the Republic of Italy will resume further investigation in the matter.

The top court held the compensation of Rs 10 crore paid by the Republic of Italy as fair and sufficient.

Earlier, while reserving its decision, the court had said that the compensation money should be deposited in the Kerala High Court to protect the interests of the families of the victims.

Let us tell you that in the year 2012, two Indian fishermen were killed by two Italian sailors.

India had accused two Italian sailors – Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre, aboard the Italian oil tanker MV Enrica Lexi – of shooting dead two Indian fishermen aboard a fishing boat in India’s economic zone on 15 February 2012.

Supreme Court closes the case of Italian sailors: Both the sailors were arrested in connection with the murder.

But later according to the decision of the International Arbitration, both the sailors were sent to prison in Italy and it was decided to pay a compensation of 10 crores to the sailors.

Now this compensation has been received. Out of this, four crore rupees will be given to the relatives of those sailors and two crore rupees will be given to the boat owner in whose boat these fishermen went to the sea for fishing.

The Center had on July 2020 filed an application in the apex court seeking closure of the ongoing proceedings against the Italian sailors.

The Center had said that it has accepted the May 21, 2020 decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague that India is entitled to compensation in the matter.

But cannot prosecute Italian sailors because of the exemptions granted to the seafarers.