Marines charged with murder

They were framed with charges under sections 302,307,427 and 34 of the IPC,apart from invoking the Article 3 of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts SUA of violence against the safety of maritime navigation.

The chargesheet has given the place of occurrence as north latitude nine degree 17.2 minutes and east latitude 076 degree 0.18 minutes. According to the police,this would work out to 20.5 nautical miles away from the nearest Kerala coast.

Legal experts pointed out that the IPC would be applicable up to 12 nautical miles,whereas the SUA would have a legal standing up to 200 nautical miles. The SUA Convention was framed to fight terrorism. If the IPC fails to work in the case,the Article 3 of the SUA Convention could be invoked,sources said.

The police have listed 60 witnesses,126 documents and 46 objects in the chargesheet. The seized objects include six rifles,two light machine guns,1,690 bullets and voyage data recorder of the ship.

Meanwhile,Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Steffan de Mistura on Friday called on Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop Susai Pakiam. The slain fishermen belong to the Latin Catholic Church,which was involved in settling the compensation component earlier.

Italy calls envoy to Rome

Italy on Friday called its ambassador to India,Giacomo Monteforte,for consultations in Rome,government sources said here on Friday. This is being seen in New Delhi as Italy showing its displeasure.