Go by TN cabinet suggestion on Rajiv case convicts, says CPI

Tamil Nadu unit of CPI Tuesday urged state Governor Banwarilal Purohit to approve "without any delay" the cabinet recommendation to release seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

State unit Secretary R Mutharasan said the seven convicts -- V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthanthiraraja alias Santhan, AG Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini -- had been in prison for 28 years.

"The CPI state committee urges the Govenor to accept the Cabinet recommendation, which is under his consideration, without any delay and release them," he said in a statement.

He referred to the state cabinet recommending to the Governor on September 9 the release of all the seven convicts under Article 161 of the Constitution, which relates to the power of the Governor to grant pardon and to suspend, remit and commute sentences in certain cases.

The cabinet decision came after the Supreme Court asked the Governor to consider the mercy petition of Perarivalan seeking remission or pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution.

On Monday, Perarivalan's mother Arputhammal had met the Governor, and submitted a petition seeking the release of her son following the cabinet recommendation.