ITALIAN MARINES SENT TO CENTRAL JAIL UNTIL MARCH 19, 2012

ITALIAN MARINES SENT

 TO CENTRAL JAIL UNTIL MARCH 19, 2012

A court in Kerala Monday extended the custody of the two Italian marines arrested for shooting dead two Indian fishermen and ordered them to be sent to the Central Jail in state capital Thiruvananthapuram until March 19.

Italian marines Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone were on Feb 20 sentenced by the court to 14 days custody, of which the first three days was police custody. The judicial custody was later extended twice by seven days each. They were being kept in the Central Industrial Security Force guest house in Kochi, 220 km from here, and were Monday sent to the Central Jail.Both the marines were produced in the court Monday.Indian fishermen Ajesh Binki, 25, and Gelastine, 45, were allegedly shot dead Feb 15 by the marines who mistook them to be pirates. The marines were on board cargo vessel Enrica Lexie, about 14 nautical miles off Alappuzha in Kerala.

The Kollam chief judicial magistrate court asked the authorities to ensure that special security is given to the two and also allowed Italian officials to meet the two every day for an hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.The court also asked the police to see that they should not be kept with other jail inmates, and if they feel the security cover is inadequate, then they could be shifted elsewhere with the permission of the court.On Tuesday, the petition of the Italian Consulate General demanding quashing of the FIR against the marines is coming up for final disposal in the Kerala High Court.Last week, the judge pointed out errors in the petition filed by the Italian Consulate General and said it had no seal of the Italian embassy or any authorisation. (IANS)

                                                                              Prof. John Kurakar