AG Perarivalan, Convict In Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case Released By Supreme Court, Joins Legal Profession

Perarivalan got enrolled as an Advocate in the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry at the enrolment ceremony held at Chennai on April 27. Perarivalan can now practice as an advocate at the Madras High Court.

Perarivalan was sentenced to death by the special court under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. The death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1999. A review petition, filed by Perarivalan, was rejected. This was followed by mercy petitions to the Governor, which were also rejected. A mercy petition filed by Perarivalan before the President of India under Article 72 of the Constitution was also rejected in 2011.

Against this, Perarivalan had filed a petition in the Madras High Court, which was subsequently transferred to the Supreme Court and the death sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life in 2014.

On 06.09.2018, Perarivalan submitted an early release application to the Governor under Article 161 of the Constitution of India. On 09.09.2018, the State Cabinet decided to accept his remission plea and accordingly forwarded its recommendation to the Governor. Thereafter, the Governor had kept the plea in abeyance for quite some time.

On May 18, 2022, the Supreme Court ordered Perarivalan's release after being imprisoned for 32 years, invoking powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. The Apex Court was of the view that the inordinate delay in deciding Perarivalan's early release plea by the Governor under Article 161 warranted his release.

Even during his period of incarceration, Perarivalan completed his BCA and MCA courses from the Indira Gandhi National Open University and seven diploma courses. He also won a gold medal for completing a diploma course under the Tamil Nadu Open University.

After his release, Perarivalan pursued his LLB degree from the Dr BR Ambedkar Law College in Karnataka and completed the course in 2025. The same year, he cleared the All India Bar Examination, making him eligible to be enrolled as an advocate with the State roll.

Perarivalan said that his own legal battle inspired him to take up law. He said that his lack of legal knowledge had caused various hurdles in his case, putting him in an unfavourable position at times. He said that he aimed to work on cases related to the death penalty and human rights.