NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the release of all the six life-term convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in view of the Tamil Nadu government’s recommendation.
In May, the top court had ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment over the 1991 assassination of the former Prime Minister.
On Friday, a bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and B.V. Nagarathna passed the order of releasing the convicts. It noted that the state government has recommended the release of all convicts, and also that the convicts have spent more than two decades in prison and that their conduct was satisfactory.
“We direct that all the appellants are deemed to have served their sentence. The applicants are thus directed to be released unless required in any other case,” it said.
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. — IANS
