SC further extends by one week parole of Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict

The Supreme Court had, on November 23, also extended A G Perarivalan's parole by one week.

The Supreme Court on Friday further extended by one week parole granted to AG Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, for medical check-up and made it clear that no further extension will be granted.

A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao extended the parole of Perarivalan to go to the hospital for a medical check-up and said the State of Tamil Nadu shall provide necessary escort to him to go to the hospital.

"Any medical facility that Perarivalan needs, he would be taken to CMC Vellore. State of Tamil Nadu shall provide necessary escort. After one week he shall be taken to jail," the bench said.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Perarivalan, sought a further extension for four weeks saying there is a 25 per cent blockage of the kidney.

Advocate Balaji Srinivasan, Additional Advocate General of Tamil Nadu, submitted to the court that 30 days parole is allowed in two years. "51 days have already been allowed to him. Now he wants to go to a hospital 200 km away, even though there is one 25 km away," Balaji said.

The Supreme Court had, on November 23, also extended Perarivalan's parole by one week.

On November 9, Perarivalan had walked out of a Tamil Nadu prison on a-month-long parole, granted by the Madras High Court, to visit his ailing father and attend his niece's marriage ceremonies.

During an earlier hearing, the apex court had expressed unhappiness over the Tamil Nadu Governor not taking a decision for over two years on the remission plea of Perarivalan.

The bench had asked the Tamil Nadu government to request the State Governor to expedite his decision on the State's recommendations for the remission of sentence of a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Perarivalan seeking release from the prison based on the recommendation made by the Tamil Nadu government.

On February 18, 2014, the top court had commuted the death sentence of Perarivalan to life imprisonment on grounds of a delay of 11 years in deciding the mercy pleas by the Centre.

Gandhi was assassinated by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber during an election rally in Sriperumpudur, Tamil Nadu on the night of May 21, 1991, by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at a poll rally.