Kerala blames Centre for relaxation of marine's bail condition

Thiruvananthapuram, May 26: Attacking the Centre, Kerala today blamed its "wrong response" for the Supreme Court's decision to relax the bail conditions of one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012.

A "big foul play" had been done by the Centre right from the beginning in the case, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters here.

Vijayan was reacting to the apex court's decision to relax the bail conditions of Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two Kerala fishermen off the state's coast in 2012 and permit him to leave for Italy till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between the two countries.

The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. "It is here that the examination and trial has to be held.

But a big foul play has been held in this case right from the beginning by the Centre. We were against the Centre's approach before also and we had strongly criticised it," Vijayan told reporters here.

"It is the wrong response of the central government that led to the court passing this order. That is what I understand," he said. The marines, who were on board ship 'Enrica Lexie', are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012.

PTI