Centre seeks review of SC order releasing Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts

New Delhi | The Centre has sought a review of the Supreme Court order releasing all six convicts in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

In the review petition, the Centre said it was not made a party to the hearing and its stance was not heard and consequently, several glaring errors on record were not brought to the notice of the court.

The apex court on November 11 passed an order allowing premature release of six convicts: S. Nalini, R.P. Ravichandran, Sriharan, Santhan, Murugan, and Robert Payas.

A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and B.V. Nagarathna had passed the order after noting that convicts’ conduct was satisfactory in the prison and they were imprisoned for a very long period.

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All the six convicts in the case were sentenced to life and they had spent over two decades in prison.

The Congress had strongly criticised the release of convicts. However, several Tamil parties, including the state's ruling DMK, which is an ally of the Congress, had long rallied for the release of the convicts.

On May 18, the Supreme Court had invoked its extraordinary powers to do complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution, as it ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan, sentenced to life in the assassination of the former Prime Minister.

Nalini and Ravichandran had then moved the Madras High Court citing Perarivalan's case for their own release, but the high court refused to entertain their plea. They then moved the apex court challenging the high court order. Later, the remaining four convicts also filed similar pleas before the top court.

IANS

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