March 01, 2026 02:49 pm (IST)
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SC refuses to extend ailing Italian marine's stay in Italy
New Delhi, Dec 16 (IBNS): The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by an Italian marine, accused of shooting two Kerala fishermen, to extend his stay in Italy.
The apex court has asked Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre to return to India by January 16, 2015.
The court, had on Sept 12, allowed one of the two detained Italian marines to go back home for treatment for 4 months.
The Italian ambassador had given a written undertaking to judges that that Massimiliano Latorre will return to India in four months, after which SC gave the marine permission to fly home on medical grounds for four months.
The marine has now approached the SC seeking an extension of two months time to stay back in Italy to undergo a heart surgery.
The court has also turned down the plea of the other marine who is in India and wanted to visit Italy for Christmas.
Latorre was earlier hospitalized in Delhi with ischaemia -- a restricted blood supply that can lead to a stroke.
Last year, the two marines went back home to cast their vote in national elections on condition that they would return to India and face pending trials.
But diplomatic tensions arose after Italy Government initially refused to send the marines back.
Following intense pressure from India, Italy agreed and sent the two marines to India. Italy's then-foreign minister resigned in the process.
47-year-old Latorre and fellow marine Salvatore Girone had been barred from leaving India pending a possible trial and have been living at Italy's embassy.
They are accused of shooting the two fishermen off the Kerala coast in February 2012 while they were assigned to protect an Italian-flagged oil tanker from pirates.
In defence, the Italian sailors said they mistook the fishing boat for a pirate vessel and fired what were intended to be warning shots.
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