India sounds airport alert to prevent Italian envoy’s exit

New Delhi : In an unprecedented move, India Friday put airports across the country on alert to prevent Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving the country as per the apex court’s orders.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Friday said the orders of the Supreme Court have to be complied with by all government agencies.

“The Supreme Court order will be complied by all government agencies,” Khurshid told reporters outside Parliament House.

He said the matter will come up before the apex court on Monday and after that the future course of action would be decided. “We will know then exactly what is the next step that should be taken.”

The union home ministry sounded the alert at airports a day after the Supreme Court restrained Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving India without its permission.

The ambassador was issued notice in the wake of the Italian government going back on its undertaking to the court wherein it had assured the return of the two marines after their four weeks’ stay in their country.

The Supreme Court Feb 22 allowed the two marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala, to fly to Italy to vote in the Feb 24-25 national election. The two marines were to return by March 23.