Fishermen Killing: Shipping Co asked to submit bank guarantee

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered the Italian Shipping company, whose guards were allegedly involved in the killing of two Indian fi shermen off Alappuzha coast on February15, last to submit a bank guarantee of Rs three crore. The Division bench comprising Justices Thotathil BRadhakrishnan and C T Ravikumar ordered it while considering a petition fi led by the families of two fi shermen who were killed allegedly by two Italian Marines complaining of inadequacy of the bank guarantee amount directed by a single bench. The court also said that the Italian oil tanker M V EnricaLexie, which was berthed at the oil terminal here after the incident, could leave the port after remitting the amount in a bank or giving a DD to High Court Director General. However, the court said that the order was applicable only to the two petitions fi led by the families of the fi shermen. Though earlier in the morning while considering the petition, the court had asked the owner of Vassal and the families of the two fi shermen marines whether they were willing for an out of court settlement for determining the compensation, it was failed. In its oral observation the court also wanted to know who had ordered the fi ring and who was in-charge of the marines who were providing security to the vessel. The Division Bench also directed that the ship, now berthed in Kochi, should not leave till a decision was taken on the issue of compensation. The marines Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Gironi had been arrested and charged with murder for allegedly shooting the two fi shermen dead on February 15 off Alappuzha coast. The court also observed that there was no lapse on the part of the government action in the incident of killing the two fi shermen and the investigation was going on satisfactorily. The court also directed to fi le affi davit with details of the case in connection with the incident of killing, registered at Italy by Thursday. While Doramma wife of Valentine Jalastine had sought a compensation of Rs 1 crore, the sisters of Ajeesh Binki, another fi sherman had approached the High Court for Rs 2 crore reliefs. The owner of the fi shing boat, Freddy has also sought Rs 75lakh compensation for the damage caused to his boat. The single Judge had ordered the ship owner to submit a bank guarantee of Rs 25 Lakh each for the families of the two killed and Rs ten Lakh for the damage caused to the boat.