Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sees ‘foul play’ by the Centre behind a Supreme Court decision to relax bail conditions of the second Italian marine accused of killing two Kerala fishermen.

Marine Salvatorre Girone’s request to leave India was supported by the Centre on ‘humanitarian grounds,’ according to reports from New Delhi.

Speaking to reporters here, Vijayan said the decision to allow Girone to leave India was unacceptable. “The law must take its normal course. An accused in a crime committed here must be tried here. The Centre had been up to dirty tricks in the case right from the beginning,” the Chief Minister said.

Meanwhile, the apex court has directed Girone to report every month to a designated police station and undertake to obey its orders issued, even after he leaves India.

Girone is one of two sailors under investigation in the case of killing of two fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. Italy has argued the marines were guarding an oil tanker and mistook the fishermen for pirates.

Fellow marine in Italy

Co-accused Massimiliano Latorre had left India in 2014 for medical treatment after he suffered a stroke and was allowed by the Supreme Court to stay back in Italy till September-end.

Italy has claimed immunity for the marines to prosecution since they were serving on a UN-backed anti-piracy mission. The oil tanker they were escorting was in international waters when it fired on the fishermen, Italy claims. India has consistently rejected this stand.

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