Italian Marines case: Plea filed in SC for medical examination

A victim, who was injured in firing by two Italian Marines today approached Supreme Court pleading it not to allow one of the accused Massimiliano Latorre, who claimed to have suffered brain stroke recently, to leave the country without verifying his medical condition.
The victim, Freddy, who is also a complainant in the case, pleaded before the apex court for constitution of a medical board of AIIMS doctors for medical examination of Latorre.
Freddy is the owner of the fishing boat 'St Antony', in which two Indian fishermen were murdered when the marines started firing on them allegedly under the misconception that they were pirates.

He submitted that medical examination is necessary because of the previous conduct of the marines and the serious violations of apex court's order committed by them.
"If Latorre is seriously ill there will be no reason to avoid medical examination for the satisfaction of this court while passing further orders in this case. It is highly necessary to direct a Medical Board from AIIMS to examine him and to certify that he is suffering from serious illness," he said.
"It is further submitted that the marines are not entitled to get any liberal considerations from this court because they questioned the majesty powers of this court and committed contemptuous behaviour after obtaining favourable orders from this court. In an extreme step they refused to return to India claiming diplomatic immunity and which reached to the extent of serious diplomatic issues between two countries," he said.

The apex court had on September 8 sought the Centre's clear stand on whether it has any "serious objection" on the plea of Latorre to travel to his country for two months for treatment in the wake of brain stroke suffered by him.

It had also exempted Latorre for two weeks from appearing before the Chanakyapuri Police Station once a week as a condition of his bail.
The case pertains to the killing of two Indian fishermen allegedly by Italian marines Latorre and Girone on board ship 'Enrica Lexie' off Kerala coast on February 15, 2012.
The Supreme Court on January 18, 2013 had directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the case against the marines and directed the Centre to set up a special court to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis after transferring the case from a court in Kerala to national capital.