India has jurisdiction in Italian marines' case: Jaitley tells LS

Affirming that India has jurisdiction in the Enrica Lexie incident of February 2012 where two Italian naval personnel on board the ship opened fire on an Indian fishing vessel resulting in the death of two fishermen, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the BJP-led NDA Government will fight for the rights of the victims.

Making a suo motu statement in the Lok Sabha on the order of the Hague-based UN Arbitral Tribunal to release the two marines, Jaitley expressed confidence of obtaining justice for the victims and said India has successfully contested against the Italian plea for releasing the marines in the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea.

Earlier on Monday, the international tribunal at The Hague ruled that the lone Italian marine in Indian custody, Salvatore Girone, could return home soon.

The two Italian marines, Sergeants Latorre and Girone, who were charged with murder, were detained by the police.

The case against the duo facing charges of murdering two Indian fishermen in 2012 off the Kerala coast is presently in the Supreme Court.