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Massimiliano, Girone |
Kochi, May 30 (PTI): The two Italian Marines accused of killing two Kerala fishermen got bail today after nearly four months in jail, but with stringent conditions that include a bar on leaving the state.
The relief from Kerala High Court came despite the state government’s opposition to the bail plea. Today’s order in the case, which sparked a diplomatic standoff between India and Italy, came a day after the court turned down Rome’s plea to quash the FIR against the Marines.
Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone will be freed on a bond for Rs 1 crore each, besides two Indian sureties each for an equivalent amount, Justice N.K. Balakrishnan said in his order.
The duo shall stay in a building within 10km of the Kochi police commissioner’s office after release, appear before the commissioner on all days between 10am and 11am and whenever required at other times, the judge said. They will have to surrender their passports.
Asked whether the government planned to appeal today’s order, state home minister T. Radhakrishnan said: “We will decide later. We were opposing the bail because may be the Marines would not be available for trial .”
But a fishermen’s forum expressed fears that the Marines could escape. “Can the central and state governments get them (the Marines) back if they leave the country,” said general secretary Father Churchill who is related to 19-year-old Ajesh Binki, one of the two fishermen who died in the February 15 shooting. The Marines said they had fired mistaking them for pirates.
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