New Delhi / Chennai: The Supreme Court today dismissed pleas of families of those killed along with former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, objecting to the Tamilnadu government’s 2014 decision to release seven convicts in the case.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, “All aspects were covered in the earlier constitution bench verdict in the case and, therefore, nothing survives in the case.”
The judges further said the matter was under the consideration of Governor Banwarilal Purohit and he will take a final decision.
Soon after the apex court order, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said the government was taking all necessary measures to release the convicts.
“The government has been constantly insisting that Governor Banwarilal Purhohit release the convicts,” he said.
The seven convicts, including Perarivalan, have been getting support from various Tamil parties for their release as they had served more than the life term.
Perarivalan’s mother Arputhammal welcomed today’s verdict and said the Governor should immediately sign the release of the convicts and put an end to their 28 years of suffering.
Arputhammal has been the moving force behind the struggle for the release of her son and others.
Recently, Nalini, another convict, had submitted a petition before the Madras High Court against Purohit.
In her petition, Nalini stated that the Governor had delayed counter-signing the Cabinet resolution to release her and the six others accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The Tamilnadu Cabinet passed a resolution 9 September 2018 to release all the seven life convicts – Perarivalan, Murugan aka Sriharan, Nalini Sriharan, P Ravichandran, Shantan, Jayakumar and Robert Payas – under the provisions of Article 161 of the Constitution.
In 2014, the then J Jayalalithaa-led government had decided to release the seven convicts in the case.
Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur in Tamilnadu 21 May 1991.