Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: TN to release all convicts

DMK chief M Karunanidhi did not agree that the state government's decision was 'fast'

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to release all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, who were in jail for the past 23 years. The state government decision comes a day after the Supreme Court commuted the death penalty of three convicts in the case, to life imprisonment.

In a statement at the state assembly on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said it was decided to release V Sriharan alias Murugan, A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, Nalini, Robert Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. All the seven were convicted for being part of the conspiracy to assassinate former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Gandhi was killed by a suicide bomber in May, 1991, during an election campaign in Sriperumbudur, near here.

The chief minister also said the decision was communicated to the Centre and if the the latter did not respond within three days, the state would release all the seven convicts under the powers derived from Section 432 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

“If the Centre does not respond in three days, the state will use its power under Section 432 to release all the seven convicts,” said Jayalalithaa.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had commuted the death sentence of Murugan, Perarivalan and Santhan, citing the inordinate delay in deciding their mercy petitions and said the Tamil Nadu government could exercise its remission powers to get them released.

According to political observers, the state government’s step could be a move to appease the sentiments of a section of voters in Tamil Nadu.

Reacting to Jayalalithaa’s statement, DMK president M Karunanidhi said, “The Centre has to give its sanction. I hope the Centre would give its sanction.” However, he did not agree the state government’s decision was ‘fast’, saying the decision could have been taken in 2011 itself.