Rajiv Gandhi case convicts to walk free on Saturday, uncertain future for four; Congress says 'unacceptable'

Rajiv Gandhi case convicts to walk free on Saturday, uncertain future for four; Congress says 'unacceptable'

The killers including Nalini and RP Ravichandran were serving a life sentence in the jail.

N ChithraUpdated: Saturday, November 12, 2022, 12:17 AM IST
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Supreme Court directs release of 6 convicted killers of former PM Rajiv Gandhi |

Chennai: The authorities of the Vellore Central Prison are expected to set free the remaining six life convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case on Saturday morning following the Supreme Court order releasing them.

Nalini Sriharan, the prime accused in the case, has been out on extended parole for many months now, and is staying in a rented house in Bramapuram Village near Katpadi in Vellore. A section of villagers on Friday broke into celebrations on hearing news of her release.

However, except for Nalini and another co-convict Ravichandran, who had obtained good conduct certificate in prison, the remaining four including her husband Murugan alias Sriharan (now leading an ascetic life) are Sri Lankan nationals.

4 convicts are stateless people

“We are not sure how to deal with them upon their release. Technically they are stateless people as they do not have a passport and it is not sure if they would be deported to Sri Lanka or if the Island Nation would accept them,” said an official.

Murugan, who is younger to Nalini, had stayed at her house prior to Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination and fell in love. The two had gone to Tirupati soon after the assassination and had tied the knot but were arrested by the CBI soon after their return. By that time Nalini was pregnant and delivered a baby girl at the high security prison in Poonamallee near Chennai during the pre-trial stage itself. Later, the girl was sent off to London with a relative.On November 11, Friday, the Supreme Court directed the release of six accused, including Nalini and RP Ravichandran, serving life imprisonment in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The killers were serving a life sentence in the jail.

AICC General Secretary in Charge of Communication Jairam Ramesh criticised the judgement and called it unacceptable. In a note he said, "Congress Party criticises it clearly and finds it wholly untenable. It is most unfortunate that Supreme Court has not acted in consonance with the Spirit of India on this issue"

Nalini Sriharan moved SC seeking premature release

Earlier, Nalini Sriharan, serving a life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, moved the Supreme Court seeking her premature release.

Nalini has challenged the June 17 order of the Madras High Court, which rejected her plea for early release, and cited the apex court judgement ordering the release of co-convict AG Perarivalan while seeking to be set free.

The high court had on June 17 rejected the petitions of Nalini Sriharan and Ravichandran, both convicted in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, to order their release without even the consent of the state's governor.

"The high courts do not have the power under Article 226 of the Constitution to do so, unlike the Supreme Court which enjoyed the special power under Article 142," the high court had said while rejecting their pleas.

Invoking its extraordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution, the top court had on May 18 ordered the release of Perarivalan, who had served over 30 years in jail, and said the Tamil Nadu governor ought not to have sent the "binding" advice made by the state cabinet for his release to the president.

The apex court had said the advice of the state cabinet is binding on the governor in matters related to commutation/remission of sentences under Article 161 of the Constitution.

Under article 142, the top court may issue any verdict or order necessary to provide "complete justice".

Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at a poll rally.

Supreme Court upheld death sentence of four convicts

In its May 1999 order, the top court had upheld the death sentence of four convicts Perarivalan, Murugan, Santhan and Nalini.

However, in 2014, it commuted the death sentence of Perarivalan to life imprisonment along with those of Santhan and Murugan on the ground of an 11-year delay in deciding their mercy petitions. Nalini's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2001 on the consideration that she has a daughter.

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