File photo of Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone.
Pursuant to a ruling by a UN tribunal, India and Italy will soon approach the Supreme Court for relaxation of bail conditions of Italian marine Salvatore Girone, arrested in India on murder charges.
"As you know the tribunal has said both India and Italy should now approach the Supreme Court of India to relax bail conditions for Girone. That will happen in the near future," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Earlier this week, the UN arbitration tribunal had ruled in favour of Mr Girone as it allowed him to return home pending the arbitration proceedings at the Hague.
Two Italian marines -- Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone -- are facing charges of murdering two fishermen in 2012 off the Kerala coast. Mr Latorre is back in Italy after he suffered a stroke in 2014 while Mr Girone is staying in Italian embassy in New Delhi. The two countries had agreed to arbitration by the UN Court.
In its order, the tribunal had said Italy will have to return Mr Girone to India in case the court finds Indian jurisdiction over the case.
"Italy and India shall cooperate, including in proceedings before the Supreme Court of India, to achieve a relaxation of the bail conditions of Sergeant Girone so as to give effect to the concept of considerations of humanity, so that Sergeant Girone, while remaining under the authority of the Supreme Court of India, may return to Italy during the present arbitration," the tribunal had said in its order.