Italian marines case: Indian judiciary will take an independent view, says MEA

New Delhi: In a stern response to Italy, The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said the case of two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012, is sub-judice and Indian judiciary will take an independent view in this matter.

“Matter is sub-judice, Indian judiciary which is fair and impartial will take an independent view on this (Italian marines case),” Syed Akbaruddin, the Official Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs said.

On Monday, the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano had accused India of "scarce political will" to provide a "fair solution" into the said case.

"There has been scarce political will to provide a fair solution," Napolitano said. "The malfunctioning of the Indian justices system (shows that this problem) is not just an Italian one," the Italian news agency ANSA quoted the President as saying.

According to reports, Napolitano reacted after the Indian Supreme Court rejected a request from one of the marines, Salvatore Girone, to return to Italy for the Christmas holidays and a petition from the other, Massimiliano Latorre, to extend his stay in Italy for health reasons.

Latorre had flown to Italy after suffering a stroke-like attack earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the two Italian marines, accused of killing two fishermen in Kerala in 2012, maintained that they fired at them after mistaking them for pirates while guarding an Italian oil tanker.

The marines had been living in the Italian embassy in New Delhi since then waiting to be tried, and were not supposed to leave the country.

The situation has led to tense relations between India and Italy, which says that India has no jurisdiction in the case.