State has not faulted: Chandy

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday that the State government had not faulted with regard to the case relating to the killing of two Indian fishermen by two marines on board the Italian ship Enrica Lexie off the Kerala coast.

The State government’s approach was transparent, he said adding the Central government had fully agreed with the stand of the State in the matter, the Chief Minister told the media after Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting.

Mr. Chandy said the Kerala government was not opposed to the release of the Italian ship subject to certain conditions. It wanted an assurance from the Italian government regarding the appearance of the witnesses on board the ship for investigation and trial in India. The Italian government had agreed to this and the application of India laws in the matter. The court had directed that the settlements reached by the Italian government with the victims’ families be ignored, and the Italian government had stated that it was not taking back the compensation paid as an international gesture.

He said it was Kerala’s counsel Gopal Subramanium who had brought the illegality of the settlements to the notice of the Supreme Court. When the Court asked why Kerala had not filed an appeal, it was projected as news against the government. Kerala had informed the court that it was filing an appeal. The only wrongdoing in the conduct of the case was the statement of Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval before the court that the killing had taken place in the international waters.

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