Kerala govt opposes bail plea of Italian marines

Kochi: The Kerala government today opposed the bail pleas of two Italian marines, accused of shooting dead two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on 15 February. Government counsel informed the court that if the accused are released on bail at this stage, their presence cannot be procured. [caption id=“attachment_323913” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The marines – Latore Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone- had contended that they had not committed any offence. PTI”]  [/caption] The marines – Latore Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone- had contended that they had not committed any offence as alleged by police and that there was no justification in continuing their custody. Earlier,their bail plea was rejected by a lower court in Kollam. The Union government was impleaded in the case after Justice M K Balakrishnan of the Kerala High Court on 22 May directed the petitioners to implead the Centre. The naval guards were arrested on 19 February and charged with murder of fishermen Valentine Jalastine and Ajesh Binki, who put out to sea from Neendakara in Kollam. The marines, lodged in central prison, Thiruvananthapuram since 5 March, have been shifted to Borstal school, which houses juvenile delinquents, in kochi. PTI