The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses of the Centre, Kerala government and 2 others on a petition challenging the seizure of Italian vessel Enrica Lexie by the authorities after two marines onboard gunned allegedly gunned down two Indian fishermen on February 15.
A bench of justices Mr R.M. Lodha and Mr H.L. Gokhale issued notices to the authorities and two relatives of the deceased fishermen even as senior counsel Mr K.K. Venugopal submitted that due to the seizure, the vessel had incurred a loss of Rs 200 crore as one lakh tonnes of oil was stored in it.
The Supreme Court passed the order on a special leave petition filed by Dolphin Tankers questioning the Kerala High Court's order staying the release of the vessel.
While issuing notices, Mr Justice Lodha, however, told the counsel that the only issue to be decided in the appeal was whether after the shooting had taken place, the vessel became the property for attachment as provided under CrPC.
It posted the matter for further hearing to April 20.
A division bench of the Kerala High Court had earlier, while setting aside a single judge's order, stayed till April 2 the release of the vessel detained off Kochi port since February 15.