India: Apex court orders release of all convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case

New Delhi: India’s Supreme Court on Friday ordered the release of all the six life-term convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case following Tamil Nadu government’s recommendation.

In May, the top court ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment over the 1991 assassination of the former Prime Minister.

A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and B.V. Nagarathna passed the order of releasing the convicts.

It added that court’s order pertaining to Perarivalan was applicable to all other convicts in the case and also noted that Tamil Nadu has recommended the release of all convicts in the case.

Convicts S. Nalini and R.P. Ravichandran had moved the apex court challenging the Madras High Court order, which refused to entertain their plea seeking release from the prison.

In response to the petitions, the Tamil Nadu government said both had served over 30 years in jail and it had approved the remitting sentence of all seven convicts over four years ago.

On May 18, the Supreme Court invoked its extraordinary powers to do complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution, as it ordered the release of Perarivalan.

Unfortunate, says Congress

The Rajiv Gandhi killers’ case stirs deep emotions in Tamil Nadu and every government in the state, whether led by the AIADMK or DMK, has campaigned for their freedom. Many in Tamil Nadu believe that the seven prisoners played minor roles in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and were duped into taking part in a plot they knew little about.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) group from neighbouring Sri Lanka.

The seven convicts were sentenced to death for their role in the killing.

The Congress party termed it as “unfortunate” as the Supreme Court today announced its decision to release the six killers convicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister and Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi.

Reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision, Jairam Ramesh, Congress MP and General Secretary in charge of communications, said: “The decision of the Supreme Court to free the remaining killers of former PM Rajiv Gandhi is totally unacceptable and completely erroneous. The Congress party criticises it clearly and finds it wholly untenable.”

He added: “It is most unfortunate that the Supreme Court has not acted in consonance with the spirit of India on this issue.”