Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has proposed that Sessions Court, Kollam, may be designated as special court to try the Italian marines accused in the case of shooting of two fishermen.
The Chief Minister said this in a communication addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday.
The Supreme Court had, in its order dated January 18, 2013, said that a special court be set up to deal with the marines’ case.
“We wish that Sessions Court, Kollam, where the marines’ case was first admitted for trial, be designated as such,” Chandy said in his letter.
He said that it was pertinent to note that all records and evidences in the case were now before the Sessions Court, Kollam, where they were submitted after the investigation was got over with.
Setting up the special court outside of Kerala would mean that all witnesses based here would have to travel each time they needed to give evidence.
“Sessions Court, Kollam, being designated as special court as contemplated by the directive of the Supreme Court will help in the cause of speedy and expeditious trial of the case,” Chandy said.