Two Italian Marines, facing criminal trial here on charges of killing two Indian fishermen 10 months ago, may be able to celebrate Christmas in Italy with the Kerala high court on Thursday allowing them to go home for two weeks while asking them to give a bank guarantee of `6 crores and imposing stringent conditions.
The bail conditions can be modified if the Union government feels the undertaking by the Italian ambassador and Italian consul general are acceptable and travel documents can be issued to them, Justice P. Bhavadasan said disposing of the petition by the Marines Latore Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone.
The two Marines were arrested from Italian vessel Enrica Lexie on February 19 for allegedly shooting down two Indian fishermen off Alapuzha coast on February 15.
The court has asked them to furnish a bank guarantee of `6 crores. It said they can leave India and remain in Italy for two weeks from the date of their departure and should return to India before 3 pm on January 10, 2013.
Their passports can be released on production of necessary travel documents for exit and re-entry and on filing of an unconditional undertaking that they would return to India and surrender their passports at 3 pm on January 10, it said.
The two authorities, who have given affidavits should file unconditional undertakings to keep surveillance of the Marines during travel and while in Italy and on return to India and re-surrender and also assure they are produced in court on or before the date specified, the court directed.
They were also directed to furnish details of their addresses and mobile numbers and their movements in Italy to the Kochi police commissioner.