Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case: Supreme Court Extends Perarivalan's Parole By A Week

The Supreme Court on Friday extended the parole by a week of AG Perarivalan, a convict in the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and has directed State of Tamil Nadu to provide an escort for his medical checks. A Bench headed by Justice L. Nageswara Rao was hearing an Application filed by Perarivalan, seeking for extension of his parole, and took into consideration the submissions of Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan who requested the Court to direct the State to extend the same by four weeks in light of Perarivalan's kidney damage. "There is a 25% kidney damage that he is suffering. We know a period of three months extension is a bit too much, so we are seeking for a reasonable time period", submitted Sankaranarayan. This request was opposed by Advocate Balaji Srinivasan, AAG for the State of Tamil Nadu, who informed the Court that 30 days of parole was allowed in the period of two years and Perarivalan had already been allowed 51 days. Further, he wanted to be taken to a hospital which was 200 kilometres away, despite the existence of one at a distance of 25 kilometres. Taking these submissions into contention, the Supreme Court recorded that the extension was being sought for medical reasons. Accordingly, the Court directed for an extension of a week. The State of Tamil Nadu has been directed to take the Petitioner to Vellore in case he needs any medical facility, and to provide the necessary escort. In the previous hearing, the Supreme Court had allowed for an extension of Perarivalan's parole till November 30. Justice Rao informed Sankaranarayanan that the Court could extend the parole for and order that an escort be provided so that Perarivalan could visit the hospital. "We will hear the matter on the next date for final disposal. Parole is extended for a week and Tamil Nadu is directed to provide escort to him for medical checks", ordered the Supreme Court. In the hearing before that, the Supreme Court had orally expressed unhappiness over the fact that the recommendation made by the Tamil Nadu State Government for the remission of the sentence of A G Perarivalan, had been pending before the Governor for over two years. "We do not want to exercise jurisdiction. But we are not happy with how this recommendation has been pending before the Governor for 2 years", observed Justice L Nageswara Rao, the presiding judge of the Bench. The Bench, also comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi and Hemant Gupta, was hearing the petition filed by Perarivalan seeking release from the prison based on the recommendation made by the State Government. Perarivalan was awarded death penalty in 1991 for conspiracy behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi after being charged with providing a 9-volt battery for the explosive device to assassination conspirator Sivarasan. In 2014, the Supreme Court commuted the death penalty of Perarivalan and two other convicts who had spent over twenty years in death row in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to life sentence on the ground of inordinate delay in deciding their mercy petitions. In September 2018, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced its decision to release him along with six other convicts.

Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case: Supreme Court Extends Perarivalan's Parole By A Week

Radhika Roy

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