TN Congress chief breaks silence on Perarivalan's release; 'Don't forget they are killers'

In a massive development pertaining to the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of AG Perarivalan, one of the life convicts in the case, who has been behind bars for the last 31 years. Following the judgement, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President KS Alagiri came forward to speak on the SC decision to release the ‘murderers.’ Responding to the SC order, the Congress leader said that the party will not criticise the apex court for its verdict.

Commenting on Perarivalan's release, Tamil Nadu Congress chief KS Alagiri said that the same SC had convicted the accused long ago and was now releasing Perarivalan under legalities. He further said that he would not criticize the SC's verdict while adding that the convicted accused were “not innocent”. Taking to his Twitter handle, Alagiri said, “Seven of the killers who killed former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi were convicted by the Supreme Court of being the killers.”

“The same Supreme Court has acquitted Perarivalan on some legal grounds,” the Congress leader wrote in Tamil. “We do not want to criticize the judgment of the Supreme Court. At the same time, we want to emphasize that the perpetrators are murderers and that they are not innocent,” he further added in a separate tweet. The SC decision to release the convict came as a judgement on whether the Tamil Nadu governor was constitutionally right in referring Perarivalan's plea for pardon to the President of India without taking a decision.

SC orders release Perarivalan after 31 years

The apex court in its order also noted that no exercise under Article 161 can have an inexplicable delay and it can be subjected to judicial review. Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government asked the Governor to utilise the power under Article 161 of the Indian Constitution and grant a pardon to Perarivalan and other convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The governor, however, referred the matter to the President of India, on which the President has to take a call.

After taking CM charge, MK Stalin in 2021 had written to President Ram Nath Kovind to accept the recommendation made by the Tamil Nadu government in 2018 to release all seven convicts in the case. On the Tamil Nadu government's decision to pardon the convicts, SC noted that the state cabinet of Tamil Nadu had taken its decision based on relevant considerations. The apex court further added that in the exercise of Article 142, it is appropriate for the court to release the convict. It is pertinent to mention here that on March 9, the SC granted bail to AG Perarivalan on the grounds that the convict had already served the last 31 years in jail. 

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