The return of Italian marines, accused of killing two Indian fishermen, to India for meeting the March 22 deadline, as fixed by the Indian Supreme Court, is in no way a diplomatic win for this country.
Indian courts perhaps would not have handed out the death penalty to the Italian marines, because their crime does not seem to fall under ‘rarest of the rare' category. But a ‘deal' by the Indian Government without waiting for a court verdict on the matter is a disrespect to Indian judicial system.
Also, it is still beyond understanding on what basis or consideration the accused Italian marines were granted the courtesy to visit their country twice within a span of few weeks, on an undertaking by the Italian Ambassador, whose Government reneged on its promise to send the marines back. But for the stern stand taken by the Supreme Court, the marines wouldn’t have returned. Are other foreign and/or Indian prisoners in Indian jails entitled to similar freedom to visit their homes during imprisonmentIJ The answer is in the negative.