New Delhi:
The Supreme Court will today pronounce its order on whether the National Investigating Agency (NIA) has the jurisdiction to probe the case against two Italian marines who allegedly killed Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast last year.
Italy has questioned the jurisdiction of NIA to probe the case against its two marines - Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone - a contention rejected by the government which had on the last hearing assured the court that the investigation will be completed within 60 days.
After the return of the marines from Italy last month, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid had told Parliament that India had offered Italy an assurance that its marines would not get the death penalty if they returned by the deadline set by the Supreme Court.
In February last year, the two marines, posted on security duty aboard an Italian-registered oil tanker, Enrica Lexie, shot and killed two Indian fishermen, mistaking their boat for that of pirates.
The incident occurred about 20.5 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala.
The case was initially tried in Kerala. The Italians have been contesting the jurisdiction of Indian courts in the matter, saying the incident occurred in international waters.
The trial was later shifted to the Supreme Court, which on April 16 reserved its verdict on the plea of the Italian government and its two marines.