Centre files review petition against Rajiv Gandhi convicts' release

The Centre filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against the November 11 order allowing the release of all convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case

The Centre filed a review petition in the Supreme Court on Thursday against the November 11 order allowing the release of all convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The Centre said since the case is related to the assassination of the former Prime Minister of India, the court should have heard the Union of India before passing an order to release the convicts. “Petitions/applications related to the case were filed in the court without making the Union of India a party,” the petition stated. 

The court had on May 18 released AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and then, on November 11, released the remaining six convicts serving life terms for the assassination in 1991 of former prime minister. The six convicts are Nalini Sriharan, Santhan alias Raviraj, Murugan, Robert Payas, Jayakumar, and Ravichandran alias Ravi. 

The court had noted that the six had spent over three decades in jail during which time they had pursued studies as well.