Lawmakers ask India to wrap up Italian marines case

(ANSA) – Rome, December 4 – Italian MPs on Wednesday called on India to speedily resolve the case of two Italian marines who were extradited earlier this year over the deaths of two Indian fishermen. Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Michele Valensise handed Indian Ambassador Basant Kumar Gupta a document unanimously approved by the Lower House, in which MPs asked Indian authorities to find in the marines’ favor.

Investigators from India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) are in the final days of their probe into Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who are charged with opening fire on a fishing trawler and killing Ajesh Binki and Valentine aka Gelastine on February 15, 2012.

The shooting occurred while the marines were aboard a private vessel on an anti-piracy mission in international waters off the coast of Kerala in southern India, sparking a diplomatic row between the governments of India and Italy over conflicting opinions on jurisdiction and immunity.

The Indian government on November 29 made it clear the marines will not face the death penalty. The ambassador said he would immediately relay the message home, the foreign ministry said in a note. Also on Wednesday, Valensise announced Italy’s special envoy on the case, Staffan de Mistura, will return to India shortly.