Salve ditches Italian marines in SC after Italy 'breaches faith'

Wednesday, 13 March 2013 By Legally India Bar, Bench & Litigation

Senior advocate Harish Salve withdrew from representing two Italian marines in their trial before the Supreme Court (SC) for killing Indian fishermen, expressing shock at the Italian government’s “breach of faith”. Italy had reneged on its assurance to produce the marines before the SC after their visit to Italy. [NDTV]

Salve said:

As senior counsel, we are officers of the court in the first instance and our primary duty is to the Court. I consider this action of the Republic of Italy as a breach of faith. It is my perception that the Italian Government should have, in the least, forewarned its Indian lawyers of the change of its position before communicating it to the Government of India..

In these circumstances, I have informed the Italian ambassador that it will no longer be possible for me to appear for me to be associated with this case.

Harish SalveSupreme Court

Comments

DJ 13 Mar 2013, 08:18
+2 -0
RESPECT
Italy Dosa 13 Mar 2013, 10:24
+7 -1
The Italian High Commissioner should be declared Persona Non Grata, charged with Sedition and his passport should be impounded during the period he faces criminal trial. If they can violate law with impunity, we can also say "to hell with your immunity."
RC 14 Mar 2013, 08:33
+0 -0
'Sedition' ? Seriously!

Do you even know what the offense of sedition is?
Italy Dosa 14 Mar 2013, 09:22
+0 -0
Yup - read 124A of the IPC.
Munnabhai LLB 13 Mar 2013, 11:59
+0 -0
what about the 'dihadi'? has he returned it?
Guest 13 Mar 2013, 13:55
+0 -0
Wait, was Salve representing the country or the individuals?
Doesnt matter 14 Mar 2013, 06:28
+2 -0
....the point is that they let him down badly and made him lose credibility as an "officer of the Court". They did that by not keeping him informed/lying to him. The individuals, who were his clients, were as guilty of bad faith conduct as the Government that backed them. What they did may be understandable at a human level, but what Salve did is not just understandable (almost EXPECTED from someone of his stature) but commendable at a professional level.
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