Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict AG Perarivalan granted 30-day parole on medical grounds

In the latest development, the Tamil Nadu government granted 30-day parole on Wednesday for 46-year-old Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. On February 4, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwari Lal Purohit proposed that the President is competent to deal with the request of remission of sentence Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict AG Perarivalan. However, there has been no update on Perarivalan's remission request so far.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict Perarivalan gets 30-day parole

Making the announcement of Perarivalan's parole on Twitter, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin revealed that he had given his nod on the request of the former's mother that parole should be granted on medical grounds. The newly-elected CM, who had repeatedly urged the previous AIADMK govt to push for Perarivalan's release, said that he had considered the request of the convict's mother and had hence granted parole. It is pertinent to point out that DMK ally & Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had earlier said that he did not possess any hatred or anger towards his father's assassins and that that he had forgiven them.

('Mr. Perarivalan's mother said that he should be granted prison leave on medical grounds. They had demanded. The government kindly considered the request.  I have ordered to give 30-day parole to Perarivalan!,' CM Stalin wrote on Twitter)

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally at Sriperumpudur on May 21, 1991. Several relatives of those killed along with Rajiv Gandhi had opposed the release of these convicts, but the erstwhile AIADMK government had adopted a resolution recommending to Governor Banwarilal Purohit the release of all seven convicts. This move had been vehemently opposed by BJP, which had stated that it would set a wrong precedent to release former PM's assassins. 

Perarivalan's remission plea

As per the affidavit that was filed by the Home Ministry in the Supreme Court, the MHA had stated the government would process the proposal in accordance with the law. The Supreme Court had asked the Governor to decide on Perivalan's pardon within 2 weeks after the plea has been kept pending by the Governor for over 2 years. The plea pertains to 46-year-old Perarivalan who is seeking suspension of his life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case till the MDMA probe is completed. A G Perarivalan, Nalini, her husband Murugan, T. Suthendraraja, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, and P Ravichandran are the seven convicts in the assassination case who have been in prison for over 30 years. With Congress ally-DMK also demanding the release of all 7 convicts, CM E Palaniswami has assured that they will be released soon.

Last year in November, the top court had expressed unhappiness over the pendency of Perarivalan's pardon before the Tamil Nadu Governor for over 2 years. The CBI had also asserted that it had no role as far as the relief was concerned stating, "It is for Governor of Tamil Nadu to take a call on the issue whether remission is to be granted or not and in so far as relief is concerned in the present matter CBI has no role. Present petitioner is not the subject matter of the further investigation carried out by MDMA". Thereafter, Perarivalan was granted parole from November 9 to November 23 by the Madras High Court on 'medical grounds.'