Probe into Italian marines case handed over to NIA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was today handed over the probe into killing of two Indian fishermen allegedly by Italian marines off the Kerala coast.
The Home Ministry has taken the decision after the Supreme Court ruled that the Kerala government has no jurisdiction to prosecute the two Italian marines -- Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone -- allegedly involved in the killing of the fishermen last year.
NIA will investigate the case from the beginning and file the charge sheet in an NIA special court or any other special court to be set up by the government in consultation with the apex court, Home Ministry sources said.

The Ministry is likely to convey to the Supreme Court that since there is an NIA special court in Delhi, the high- profile case can be tried by it instead of another special court being set up.
The apex court on January 18 had said that the marines on board 'Enrica Lexie', accused of shooting dead the two fishermen in February last year, be shifted to Delhi and be under the 'custody' of the Supreme Court till the Centre constitutes a special court to hold their trial.
"The incident of firing from the Italian vessel on the Indian shipping vessel having occurred within the Contiguous Zone, the Union of India is entitled to prosecute the two Italian marines under the criminal justice system prevalent in the country," the bench had said.