The CBI informed the higher court that it had nothing to do with the release of AG Perarivalan.
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court today granted Rajiv Gandhi, convicted of assassination AG Perarivalan, a one-week parole for medical examination. He ordered the government of Tamil Nadu to provide him with police protection during his hospital visits.
With this, the higher court extended by one week the parole granted by the Madras High Court to Perarivalan until 23 November.
The Supreme Court’s order followed a claim by the Central Bureau of Investigation that it had nothing to do with the convict’s release because Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit was due to take an appeal.
The recommendation of the government of Tamil Nadu to release the seven convicted in the 1991 assassination case, including AG Perarivalan, is pending with Governor Purohit.
In January, the Supreme Court will rule on Mr Perarivalan’s request for release and may even ask the governor to rule on the state government’s recommendation.
Earlier this month, the main Tamil opposition parties, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Pattali Makkal Kacchi had urged Mr. Purohit to decide quickly on the release of the seven convicted of the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. The plea followed the Supreme Court, expressing dissatisfaction with the length of Mr Perarivalan’s appeal to Mr Purohit for more than two years.
The governor delayed a decision on a September 9, 2018 state cabinet resolution recommending the release of the seven convicts.
Forty-six-year-old Perarivalan has requested a suspension of his life sentence in the case until the CBI-led Multidisciplinary Monitoring Agency investigation is completed.
The seven convicts, behind bars for 29 years, were sentenced to death for their role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 in Sriperumbudur by an LTTE suicide bomber.
