Kerala police said on Wednesday the team probing the alleged killings of Indian fishermen by security crew aboard an Italian vessel will not be seeking an extension of custody of the arrested guards.
This means the Italians will be taken to prison on Thursday.
Marines Latorre Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone, who have been in police custody since February 19, will be presented before the Kollam Chief Judicial Magistrate on Thursday.
Though the duo were remanded for 14 days by the CJM on February 20, the court had sent them to police custody for three days.
After the custodial period, the police had again sought permission from the court to keep them in custody for another one week, to which the CJM agreed.
The development follows Kerala Chief Minister's confirmation that there will be no out of court settlement in the case.
"There is no provision in Indian criminal law to have an out of court settlement on charges of murder," Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
Stating that the case against the two guards would proceed as per Indian law, he pointed out that the High Court hearing the case had also expressed satisfaction on the investigation.
Italy's defence of the two marines has now taken a blow.
The Kollam court even rejected a plea by Italy to allow their forensic experts to be present during the examination of the weapons seized from the Italian cargo ship, Enrica Lexie, which was allegedly used in the killing of two the Indian fishermen.
Sniper rifles and high-powered guns were among the arsenal recovered from the Enrica Lexie.