India's Supreme Court on Friday put on hold legal proceedings against two Italian marines charged with killing two Indian fishermen as it decides on a petition challenging New Delhi's jurisdiction in the case. "The order to suspend court proceedings was in response to a petition by the marines challenging the National Investigation Agency's right to prosecute and probe the case," said Diljeet Titus, a lawyer who represents the marines. The court ordered the government to respond to the petition and halted all other proceedings in the case until it decides on the petition, Titus said, according to dpa. Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who served as part of an anti-piracy security team on an Italian oil tanker, were arrested in February 2012 after they allegedly mistook Ajesh Binki and Gelastine for pirates and shot them on the Indian Ocean. The National Investigation Agency began legal proceedings in a special court three months ago and was due to file charges against the pair. -- SPA 00:06 LOCAL TIME 21:06 GMT تغريد
