SC seeks status report on release of convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case

The Supreme court on Tuesday asked the Tamil Nadu Government to file a detailed status report within two weeks on the release of those convicted for Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.

Gandhi was assassinated by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber during an election rally in Sriperumpudur in May 1991.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice L Nageshwar Rao was hearing the matter pertaining to the belt bomb investigation in the assassination case which involved a convict named A G Perarivalan.

The bench also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks.

Besides Perarivalan, Ravichandran, S Nalini Sriharan, Murugan, Santhan, Robert Pious and Jayakumar were convicted in the case.

The Centre had, on the last date of hearing on January 14, filed a status report regarding the belt bomb investigation in the case.

The top court's two-judge bench had, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the report and asked the centre to present the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) before it.

The court, after hearing the contentions put forth by one of the juniors of the ASG, Pinkey Anand, asked the Centre to file a fresh updated detailed status report to clarify its position on the issue and had adjourned the matter for today.