Chennai: Welcoming the CBI’s stand that A G Perarivalan, one of the seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has nothing to do witbh the MDMA probe, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss on Sunday urged Tamilnadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to expedite the release of the convicts.
In a series of tweets, he said the CBI’s submission before the Supreme Court that Perarivalan has nothing to do with the further probe conducted by the Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) into the ‘larger conspiracy’ behind the assassination of the former Prime Minister, was the correct stand.
“Since CBI itself has informed that there is no link between the MDMA probe and Perarivalan’s release, the Governor, without delaying citing frivolous reasons, should take an expeditious decision on the release of the seven convicts”, Dr Ramadoss said.
In its 24-page affidavit filed before the Apex Court, the CBI said it was entirely left to Purohit to decide on releasing Perarivalan.
Stating that it has no role whatsoever in the issue, the CBI said the question of remission is wholly between Purohit and Perarivalan.
“It is for the office of His Excellency Governor of Tamil Nadu to take a call on the issue of whether remission is to be granted…So far as relief in the present matter is concerned, CBI has no role,” it said.
The CBI said Perarivalan is “not the subject matter of the further investigation carried out by the MDMA”.
The further investigation conducted by the MDMA is only limited to the mandate provided by the Jain Commission Report, which had recommended further probe into the killing of Rajiv Gandhi.
The CBI also clarified that it did not receive any request from the Governor’s office to divulge the status or details of the investigation.
Perarivalan had applied to the Governor for pardon on 30 December, 2015. Almost three years later, on 6 September, 2018, the Supreme Court asked the Governor to decide the pardon plea as he deemed fit and three days later, on 9 September, the Tamilnadu Cabinet recommended release of all the seven convicts under Article 161 if the Constitution.
Since the Raj Bhavan was yet to take a decision on the matter, the Supreme Court had sought information from Tamilnadu on the steps taken by the Governor pursuant to the 6 September, 2018 order and the Cabinet’s recommendation.
In February, the State government informed the court that the Cabinet recommendation had been sent to the Governor for his assent to which the court asked the State to ensure that the Cabinet decision to release Perarivalan was enforced.
The apex court is scheduled to hear the case today. Earlier on 29 July, on a plea filed by Perarivalan’s mother seeking parole for her son, the State government said the Governor has decided to take a call on releasing all the seven convicts only after the final report of MDMA.
Replying to a question on the delay in the Governor considering the Cabinet recommendation, State Public Prosecutor A Natarajan said a Deputy Secretary to the Governor had written to Additional Chief Secretary to the State government stating that a decision on the Cabinet recommendation to release the convicts would be taken only after the final report of the MDMA, led by the CBI.