Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: Jayalalithaa govt to release seven convicts:
Announcing the government's decision in the Assembly, Jayalalithaa said the government would release V. Sriharan alias Murugan, A.G. Perarivalan alias Arivu, T. Suthendraraja alias Santhan, Nalini, Robert Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran.
All the seven are convicts in the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The matter will be refered to the Tamil Nadu Governor now.
The decision comes a day after the Supreme Court commuted the death sentence awarded to three convicts- Perarivalan, Santhan and Murugan - to life term over an 11-year delay by the Centre on deciding their mercy plea.
Perarivalan's mother Arputhammal had told the media here that she
hope the Tamil Nadu chief minister would help in her son's release.
The
death sentence to fourth convict Nalini, who is married to Murugan and
who became a mother in prison, was commuted to life imprisonment after
her mercy petition was accepted. The petition had the recommendation of
Rajiv Gandhi's widow Sonia Gandhi.
The state government has, however, opposed Nalini's bail application.
Nalini's mother Padmavathy met her at the Vellore jail, around 100 km from here, and, while thanking the apex court chief justice for his ruling, appealed to Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa to release the convicts.
Murugan's mother Somani also met her son in Vellore. She thanked the media and others for their support.
Expressing happiness at the Supreme Court's decision, DMK president M. Karunanidhi urged the central and state governments to release the convicts from jail.
He said there were procedures and precedents on the release of life convicts which the central and state governments can follow.
MDMK leader Vaiko said the judgment should be etched in golden letters in India's judicial history. He also urged the state government to release the convicts.
Communist Party of India's Tamil Nadu secretary D. Pandian also urged the state government to release the convicts as they have spent more than two decades behind bars.
Rajiv Gandhi, who was the prime minister 1984-89, was killed by suicide bomber Dhanu at an election rally in Sriperumbudur near Chennai May 21, 1991. Fourteen other people also lost their lives in the blast.
In 1998, all the 26 accused in the case - including the three - were sentenced to death by a special trial court.
In 1999, the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentences of four - Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan and Nalini, an Indian woman who assisted them. The capital punishment of the others was reduced to varying terms of imprisonment.
The state government has, however, opposed Nalini's bail application.
Nalini's mother Padmavathy met her at the Vellore jail, around 100 km from here, and, while thanking the apex court chief justice for his ruling, appealed to Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa to release the convicts.
Murugan's mother Somani also met her son in Vellore. She thanked the media and others for their support.
Expressing happiness at the Supreme Court's decision, DMK president M. Karunanidhi urged the central and state governments to release the convicts from jail.
He said there were procedures and precedents on the release of life convicts which the central and state governments can follow.
MDMK leader Vaiko said the judgment should be etched in golden letters in India's judicial history. He also urged the state government to release the convicts.
Communist Party of India's Tamil Nadu secretary D. Pandian also urged the state government to release the convicts as they have spent more than two decades behind bars.
Rajiv Gandhi, who was the prime minister 1984-89, was killed by suicide bomber Dhanu at an election rally in Sriperumbudur near Chennai May 21, 1991. Fourteen other people also lost their lives in the blast.
In 1998, all the 26 accused in the case - including the three - were sentenced to death by a special trial court.
In 1999, the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentences of four - Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan and Nalini, an Indian woman who assisted them. The capital punishment of the others was reduced to varying terms of imprisonment.
Soon after the confirmation of their sentences, they made a mercy plea to the president but it was rejected Aug 11, 2011.
Name: Gauri Kesarwani.
PGDM- 2nd (sem)
Date: feb- 19,2014
Source: The Hindustan.
Name: Gauri Kesarwani.
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