Marine case: Supreme Court puts on hold payout to boatowner after plea by 6 survivors

The Supreme Court has stayed disbursal of `2 crore compensation to the boatowner, two occupants of whose vessel were shot dead by Italian marines aboard the ship Enrica Lexie in 2012.

SC’s instruction on Thursday to the Kerala high court, the authority entrusted to distribute the compensation, came on a petition filed by six survivors in the boat, who have not been allotted any compensation. The Italian government had, as per an international arbitral award, paid Rs 4 crore each to the next of kin of the two dead fishermen and Rs 2 crore to the boatowner.

However, the surviving occupants of the boat sought SC’s intervention to ensure that they too were compensated for the trauma they underwent. Following the plea, a bench led by Justice Indira Banerjee issued notices to the boatowner and posted the case for further hearing at a later date. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta initially suggested that the task of disbursement be left to the HC, but the bench said that it would have to modify its order as the HC would not be able to disburse the amount otherwise.


“It is our order. We have to modify it or the high court can’t do anything,” Justice Bannerjee said, while issuing notices.