New Delhi, September 26
The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government on a petition filed by Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Nalini Sriharan, who is sentenced to life imprisonment, seeking her premature release from prison.
Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948. Nine accused were tried for criminal conspiracy and murder and the trial court on February 10, 1949, convicted seven of them and acquitted one.
A Bench led by Justice BR Gavai, which asked the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government to respond to Nalini’s plea, also issued notices on a similar plea submitted by another convict RP Ravichandran. The high court had, on June 17, rejected the petitions of both convicts for their premature release without even the consent of the Tamil Nadu Governor. Challenging the June 17 Madras HC order, they cited the top court’s judgment ordering the release of co-convict AG Perarivalan.
The Supreme Court had, on May 18, ordered the immediate release of Perarivalan who has spent 36 years in jail, saying the Tamil Nadu Governor’s decision to refer to the President the state Cabinet’s recommendation for his release didn’t have any constitutional backing.
The SC, had in 2014, commuted the death penalty of Perarivalan and two other convicts to life imprisonment on the ground of inordinate delay in deciding their mercy pleas. — TNS
