SC asks Centre to deposit compensation sent by Italy for fishermen killed by marines in its account

The Italian government had sent Rs. 10 crore as compensation.

The Centre said family members of the two deceased fishermen will be given Rs. four crore each and the rest to the injured owner of the boat.

The top court will also hear the Centre's plea to close the criminal proceedings against the Italians marines who are accused of killing the two fishermen off the coast of Kerala.

The two Italian marines are charged with the killing of two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. 

Girone is one of the two Italian sailors charged with shooting down two Indian fishermen in 2012. Italy says that the marines, guarding an oil tanker, mistook the fishermen for pirates.

"Let Italy pay them compensation. Only then will we allow the withdrawal of prosecution," Chief Justice SA Bobde had said last year, reported NDTV.

The Centre had requested the top court to allow it to withdraw the case against the sailors following the decision of a UN tribunal and said that Italy had assured it would criminally prosecute the accused.

However, the Supreme Court had said the marines can be released only after Italy paid the compensation and asked the Centre to make the families of the victims to the case within a week.

"Bring the cheques and the relatives of victims here," had said the Chief Justice, quoted the NDTV report,adding that it would need to listen to the families of the victims before allowing the withdrawal of the cases, the report added.