The two Italian marines on board Italian vessel 'Enrica Lexie', who were charged with homicide for killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in Feberuary 15 last year, arrived here on Friday evening.

The accused marines returned to Italy on February 23 after India's Supreme Court said they could visit their homeland for a month to vote in elections on February 24-25 since Italy does not allow postal ballots for non-expatriates. The Supreme Court had earlier allowed them to go home for Christmas.

Italy was adamant in not sending its marines back to India maintained that the incident took place in international waters and Indian courts had no jurisdiction to conduct trial.

India stepped up its diplomatic efforts and finally assured that the marines would not be arrested or face death sentence after which Italy reversed its decision.

'It (Italy) sought from India clarifications regarding the conditions applicable to the marines on their return and the provisions regarding the death penalty that could be applicable in this case which was an Italian concern. Notwithstanding the pending proceedings, the Government has informed the Italian Government that the two marines will not be liable for arrest if they return within the time frame laid down by the Supreme Court of India,' Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said.

Earlier in the day, after hearing the decision of the Italian Government, Khurshid made identical statements in both Lok Sabha (Lower House) and Rajya Sabha (Upper House) of the Indian Parliament. He expressed happiness that the matter was being 'brought to a satisfactory conclusion' and the trial will now proceed as per the directions of the Supreme Court.

'In light of the assurances received, the Government has considered the opportunity, in the interests of Fusiliers Marina, to maintain the commitment made at the permission to participate in the vote back in India by March 22,' the Italian government had said in a statement.

'The marines agreed to this decision,' it added.

Khurshid said that he had informed Italy saying that 'according to well settled Indian jurisprudence, this case would not fall in the category of matters which attract the death penalty, that is to say the rarest of rare cases. Therefore, there need not be any apprehension in this regard.'

The Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh expressed happiness at Italy’s decision to send back its marines to face trial in India.

'I am happy that the integrity and dignity of the Indian judicial process has been upheld,' he said talking to mediapersons in Parliament House complex on Friday.

However the Indian External Affairs Minister said that the Supreme Court had ruled that India has the jurisdiction over the case and the marines — Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Giron — shall 'once again be bound by the conditions contained in the order' passed by the Court on January 18.

'The Supreme Court, in its order dated 18 January 2013, in a writ petition filed by the Italian marines and the Republic of Italy raising several jurisdictional issues, had ruled, inter alia, that India has jurisdiction,' he said.

He pointed out that the SC had also ruled that 'the matter will be put before a Special Court to be set up by the Union of India in consultation with the Chief Justice of India to try this case and to dispose of the same in accordance with the provisions of the Maritime Zones Act, 1976, the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the provisions of UNCLOS 1982, where there is no conflict between the domestic law and UNCLOS 1982.'

In his statement, the Minister gave details of the sequence of events related to the case.

Indian External Affairs Minister Khurshid also said that 'Law remains as it is. Nothing changes as far as the law is concerned and my understanding can't change the law'.

Asked about reports in the Italian media that the ruling UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi influenced the decision on the marines, he said, 'The diplomacy that we do under this government, diplomacy that we do for that matter for any policy implemented by this government is obviously given a direction, given an impetus by the Prime Minister and the Congress President.

'It is a government that is led by them and then for anyone else amongst us to take credit I think would be unbecoming. They lead it from the front. We don't share. We cannot share with you everything that is said to us privately within the confines of government but the bottomline of what we are expected to I think becomes clear in the public sphere,' he said.

On apprising the Supreme Court about the matter, he said, 'No I don't think that the information to the apex court can be given in this manner and the matter is listed on April 2. So, they (parties concerned) will have to decide and if they want any modification of the order that was made, there are procedures. The lawyers will be able to follow so that will come in due course. Today is Friday and as you know that the court will not be sitting on Saturday and Sunday. So on Monday, if felt appropriate by any party, they can bring it to the notice of the court and it has to be done properly. As far as we are concerned, we will take Parliament on board. We will share it with Parliament because this has been a huge issue while Parliament was in session.'

Making a statement in the Kerala Assembly, the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy welcomed Italy’s decision to send back its marines and said that the development clearly established the fact that no country can question the sovereignty of India.