The Delhi High Court on Monday designated Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) of Patiala House Court, Amit Bansal, to conduct the trial of the two Italian marines, accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February 2012.
The Law Ministry reportedly forwarded a Home Ministry proposal to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court last Saturday, requesting the setting up of a special court to try the marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone.
The Supreme Court, on January 18, had directed the Centre to constitute the special court after which it had on March 23 asked the High Court to set up a court. Italy also pressed for quickly setting up the special court.
Sources said an official notification for setting up of the special court will follow and it will be issued by the Delhi government. “Since the special court will hear only this case, it will automatically work on a fast track basis,” said a Law Ministry official.
In a related development, before leaving for Rome, Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Staffan de Mistura, who is also the special envoy in the marines issue, met with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Monday.
The Italian minister called on Khurshid at his office in South Block in the afternoon, in what was described as a “courtesy call”. The meeting went on for more than an hour. De Mistura, is reported to be leaving for Rome for consultations, but will be returning following the Easter holidays.
This is their second meeting in three days, as Khurshid had earlier met de Mistura last Friday, after the latter escorted the marines back to India, following the end of their Supreme Court-granted leave.