Earlier on March 9, the Supreme Court had granted bail to AG Perarivalan after initial concerns that the Governor is yet to decide on his plea seeking release from prison.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said A G Perarivalan, one of the convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, who has remained incarcerated for 31 years, will walk free. The order may also pave the way for the release of the six other convicts, including Nalini Sriharan and her husband Murugan.
Earlier on March 9, the Supreme Court had granted bail to A G Perarivalan after initial concerns that the Governor is yet to decide on his plea seeking release from prison. The bench had noted that there is no dispute that Perarivalan has undergone 32 years of imprisonment and was released on parole twice but there were no complaints.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court bench said, “State cabinet had taken its decision based on relevant considerations. In exercise of Article 142, it is appropriate to release the convict.”
While ordering the release, the Supreme Court also quashed former Tamil Nadu Governor Banwari Lal Purohit’s order forwarding Perarivalan’s mercy plea to the President. The court noted that Purohit had forwarded the plea despite the Tamil Nadu government giving a recommendation to release all seven convicts in the case. The recommendation was given way back in 2018.
In 1991, Perarivalan was arrested with two 9V batteries which were used to trigger the belt bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi on the night of May 21, 1991 in Tamil Nadu. Investigators had later found the role of a woman identified as Dhanu, who, along with 14 others, were killed in the blast.