India and Italy are set for a diplomatic stand-off after the Italian government refused to send back the two marines charged with the murder of Indian fishermen in Kerala. Tracking developments and reactions.

7.20pm: Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai



"Italy's stand is not acceptable to us," said Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai after meeting Italian Ambassador to India Daniele Mancini at the South Block in New Delhi.

"Italy is obliged to ensure that marines return to India as per their assurance," he said.

6.30pm: Italian Ambassador to India Daniele Mancini reaches Ministry of External Affairs after being summoned.

5.16 pm: Did India sign a treaty allowing Italian marines to go home?

The Times Now channel reports that it has accessed an affidavit signed by the Italian and Indian governments that would have allowed the Italian marines to go home even if they had been convicted.

The report comes even as it emerges that the Italian government possibly conned the Indian Supreme Court to allow the marines to return to Italy by telling them that there were no provisions for them to cast their votes in India.

"But did the marines really need to return to Italy to vote? An information docket released by the Italian Interior Ministry says citizens living abroad, either temporarily or long-term, can vote from where they are if they follow certain rules. (Read the full note here), argued this article.

3. 35 pm: MEA to summon Italian envoy

Reports say that the Ministry of External Affairs will summon the Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini to India over the marines issue. In an undertaking submitted to the Supreme Court, the envoy had taken responsibility to ensure that the Italian marines return back to India for their trial. However, on Monday, the Italian government refused to send back the two marines charged with the murder of Indian fishermen in Kerala.

3. 25 pm: Initiate action of contempt against Italian marines: Former Attorney General

Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee said that an action of contempt must be initiated against the Itlaian marines. This is a complete breach of trust, the Italians took the court for a ride. Action of contempt must be initiated, " he said.

2. 00pm: SG says Italy has to send the marines back to face trial in India

Solicitor General Mohan Parasaram slams Italian envoy, says they are bound to comply with Supreme Court orders. "Italy has to send the marines back to face trial in India," Parasaram tells media.

1. 45 pm: Italian envoy to India took full responsibility of marines

The Italian Ambassador in New Delhi, Daniele Mancini had taken responsibility to ensure that the Italian marines return back to India for their trial. According to Times Now reports, the Italian envoy submitted an undertaking in the Supreme Court when the marines were allowed to go home to vote.

The affidavit was submitted to the Supreme Court on 9 February 2012.

12:50 pm: Kerala CM to convey state's concern to PM

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will convey the state government's "serious" concern over Italy's decision not to send back to India the two marines charged with shooting dead two fishermen off Kerala coast in February last.

According to the Chief Minister's office, Chandy would write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing the state's disappointment over the new twist in the case. Chandy, who is scheduled to leave for Delhi today, would also try to meet Singh and other central leaders to convey the state's resentment, sources said.

Opposition parties including CPI-M and BJP blamed the Centre and the state government for the development, saying it amounted to denial of justice to the victims' families. CPI-M Politburo member and former state Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged that some foul play from behind the curtains by the state and central governments sabotaged the case.

11. 49 am: PM calls Italy's refusal to send back marines 'unacceptable'

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Italy's refusal to send back the marines to India for trial 'unacceptable'.

"Italy's refusal to send back marines is unacceptable," he said. The PM said that the government will look into the matter and assured Kerala MPs that he will speak to minister concerned.

"Will ask External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to take up the issue with Italy," he said.

11. oo am: Govt officials must have colluded with Italy: Left

Left leaders say some top officials within the government must have colluded with Italy. "It's a huge conspiracy, we will demand suspension of Question Hour, said a left leader from Kerala.

10. 45 am: Family of slain Kerala fisherman demands justice

The two Italian marines who had fatally shot two Indian fishermen must be brought back to India to stand trial, demanded the wife of one of the two fishermen who were killed.

Dora, wife of Gelastine, said: "This is nothing but a conspiracy at the highest level and the Indian government should see that they bring back the two marines to stand trial in the case in our country. his should not happen to any other family, I have not received justice.

The two marines have been at the centre of a year-long international row for allegedly shooting dead two Indian fishermen Ajesh Binki and Gelastine after mistaking them for pirates near the Kerala coast in February 2012.

10. 20 am: BJP to raise Italian marines issue in Parliament

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that they will raise the Italian marines issue in Parliament today.

"Why is the Indian government sympathisng with the Italian marines? Is there a conspiracy in this? The BJP wants to know," said BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain.

10.00 am: Fisherworker's Society in Kerala to go on strike

T Peter, Fisherworker's Society, Kerala tells CNN-IBN they will go on strike to protest non-return of Italian marines. "We expressed our views that if we allow them they will not come back, but the government and SC allowed them. We will burn the effigies today outside the secretariat. The government needs to immediately interact with them. All fishermen feel cheated, we knew this would happen," he said.

9. 55am: Kerala CM calls Italy's decision unacceptable



Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy termed as unacceptable Italy's decision not to send its two marines to India, who were being tried for killing two fishermen. He said he will take up the issue with the external affairs ministry.

"I am reaching Delhi (Tuesday) night and I will take this issue up with the external affairs ministry. We are also looking to take up this issue legally," Chandy told IANS after Italy announced that the marines will not be returning to India.

"Our stand remains the same that they should stand trial here according to the Indian law, " Chandy added.

9.50 am: SC allowed marines to go home based on an undertaking by Italian govt

On being asked how were the Italian marines allowed to go back, advocate of the Kerala fishermen Unnikrishnan, said that the Supreme Court allowed the Italian marines to go home based on an undertaking given by the government of Italy.

9. 35 am: Khurshid says he will respond after reading Italy's letter

Ministry of External Affairs Salman Khurshid said that he will respond only after he reads the letter. "Reading the letter, no point in commenting without reading what they have to say," Khurshid told reporters.

Khurshid said that he will decide the future course of action once he reads the letter sent by the Italy government.

9. 30 am: Italian marines say they are 'finally happy'

The marines, who had allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen in the Arabian Sea, said they were happy to stay back in Italy and join work. "Now we are finally happy," Latorre told Italy’s ANSA news agency. Both said that they were "happy to go back to work".

"I thank the President of the republic, all institutions, the government and the Italian people who have always supported us with a great number of postcards that never made us feel alone," Latorre said.

9.22 am: "It is betrayal," says BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy

"They bluffed us, it is a betrayal," said BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy on the issue of Italian marines not returning to India. "The Italian marines need to be brought back, tried in Indian court," he said.

9.00 am: Chairman of NUSI says Italians broke trust

Reacting to the news, Abdul Ghani, Chairman of National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) said that's it's a breach of trust and the law should take its own course. He said, "Our Judiciary has been very fair with the Italian guards by allowing them to go and if they've not returning , the law should take its own course. This is unfair."

"It's a breach of trust. I am sure the judiciary will have its course of action to take in these matters now," he added.

8.30 am: Italian marines won't return to India

India and Italy are set for a diplomatic stand-off after the Italian government refused to send back the two marines charged with the murder of Indian fishermen in Kerala. The Ministry of External Affairs is still processing the statement from Italy.

On Monday evening, Italy made it clear that the two marines charged in India with killing two fishermen while on anti-piracy duty will not return from a special home visit granted to allow them to vote in last month’s general election.

The ministry said that India had not responded to Italian requests to seek a diplomatic solution to the case and there was now a formal dispute between the two countries over the terms of the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea.

In its Foreign Ministry's statement, Italy said that the Indian trial itself was illegal. The statement said, "Italy has always argued that the Indian authorities have violated their obligations under international law." India's MEA is yet to respond, saying simply that it would read the contents of Italy's missive "carefully".