Kerala High Court Grants bail to Italian Marines

The Kerala High Court today granted bail to two Italian marines in the Feb 15 fishermen shooting case.

The marines, Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone, were granted bail on the conditions that each of them would deposit Rs.1 crore as personal bond and provide two Indian sureties.

The court asked  the two marines to surrender their passports and asked them not to leave the area falling under the jurisdiction of Kochi police commissioner. They were told to report to the police commissioner everyday between 10-11 a.m.

Two Indian fishermen — Ajesh Binki, 25, and Gelastine, 45 — were allegedly mistaken as pirates and shot dead off Alappuzha in Kerala by the marines, who were serving as the security crew aboard Italian cargo vessel Enrica Lexie.

The two accused have been in judicial custody since Feb 20.

Last week, the two were shifted from jail to a Borstal School near Kochi after their pleas were allowed by the trial court in Kollam, some 120 km from here.

Italian Marines Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone were first sentenced by a court in Kollam to 14 days’ custody Feb 20 after they shot dead two Indian fishermen, Ajesh Binki, 25, and Gelastine, 45, allegedly mistaking them as pirates. The two Marines were serving as the security crew on cargo vessel Enrica Lexie Feb 15, when the shooting took place off Alappuzha in Kerala.

After being released on bail, the two are likely to move into a hotel.