Rajiv case: TN gvt to decide on convicts' release after

Tamil Nadu government Thursday said it stood for release of all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and would take a decision after going through the Supreme Court's order on a plea by one of them.

Reacting to the apex court's order directing the Tamil Nadu Governor to consider the mercy petition of A G Perarivalan, one of the seven life convicts in the case, state Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam said the government wanted to release all of them.

"It is the stand and desire of late Amma (Jayalalithaa) that all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assasination case should be released," he told reporters.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami will take a decision after a thorough study of the Supreme court's judgement and consultations with legal experts, he said.

Perarivalan's mother Arputhammal expressed joy over the ruling and appealed to the state government to take steps for the expeditious release of her son and six others as well.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Naveen Sinha and K M Joseph disposed of the Centre's petition regarding a Tamil Nadu government's proposal for the release of the convicts.

The Centre had on August 10 told the apex court that it does not concur with the Tamil Nadu government's proposal to release the seven convicts, saying remission of their sentence will set a "dangerous precedent" and have "international ramifications".

Perarivalan, 47, had told the apex court that no decision had been taken as yet on his mercy petition filed before the Tamil Nadu Governor on December 30, 2015 seeking remission or pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution.

Welcoming the court order, DMK President M K Stalin said a Cabinet meeting should be convened and a resolution adopted facilitating the release of all the seven convicts.

Noting that late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi had appealed for their release several times, he said "All of them should be released immediately."
When asked if he welcomed the court ruling, he said, 'no,' but added that 'let it happen according to law.'