Centre today distanced itself from Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval’s submission in the Supreme Court that India has no jurisdiction to detain an Italian ship from which marines shot dead, two Indian fishermen, asserting that it happened in Indian waters.
“It might be his personal opinion. Neither the external affairs ministry nor the shipping ministry had filed any affidavit before the court supporting his view,” shipping minister G.K. Vasan said, responding to Raval’s submission that the ship Enrica Lexie cannot be detained as it was not within Indian territorial waters when the two marines aboard had allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen on February 15.
“The Government is clear that the incident happened in Indian waters and the investigation is on,” Vasan told reporters in Chennai.
The ASG’s submission in the apex court had drawn sharp reactions in Kerala with the family of the victims, the Latin Catholic Church and fishery unions expressing shock and anguish over the matter.
Seizing on the development, the critics said ASG’s submission amounted to reinforcing Italy’s assertion that Indian courts had no jurisdiction to try the case since the alleged incident happened when the ship was in international waters.
Reacting to the development, chief minister Oommen Chandy told reporters in Delhi on Friday that he would bring the matter to the notice of the Central leaders. The state had always taken the position that the victims should receive justice.
The ASG would not appear in the case anymore as he had called up the Solicitor General and asked him not to allow the ASG to appear in the case, he said.
Hitting out at the Centre, CPI(M) stalwart V.S. Achuthanandan said the submission made by ASG was nothing short of a betrayal of the country and people.
The victims’ families expressed shock that the Centre was seeking to take a U-turn in the case after expressing solidarity with the bereaved families.