Chennai: With the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordering bail for AG Perarivalan, convicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, sources say similar petitions would be filed before the court seeking relief for the six other convicts.
‘Taking note of the fact that he has already spent 32 years in jail and there has been inordinate delay in deciding his remission plea which is still pending, the Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to Perarivalan. The same is applicable for others too, including Nalini and Murugan. Hence, relief will be sought for them as well,’ an advocate said.
‘The SC had considered the inordinate delay on the part of the Governor and has clearly not heeded to the stand that the President is the right authority to decide. The SC has exercised its power under the Constitution. I think granting bail is a vindication of the State government’s contention all along that the State has the power to take a call on matters with regard to remission of sentences and also the clemency powers of the Governor under Article 161,’ said DMK spokesperson and advocate S Manuraj.
A bench presided by Justice L Nageswara Rao said ‘Since he has already undergone sentence for more than 30 years, we are of the considered view that he is entitled to bail in spite of the vehement opposition by Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj’.
The bench, also comprising Justice B R Gavai, noted that there is is no dispute about Perarivalan having undergone 32 years of imprisonment and that the court was informed he was released on parole twice earlier and there has been no complaints.