Big decision in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, Supreme Court orders release of AG Perarivalan

Supreme Court has ordered the release of AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on a petition seeking the premature release of Perarivalan, who is serving a life sentence in the case. After the decision of the court, the hope of the release of 6 other convicts in the case including Nalini Sriharan, Marugan, a Sri Lankan national will also arise.

The central government had defended the Tamil Nadu governor's decision to send to the President the mercy petition of AG Perarivalan, who has been sentenced to more than 30 years in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. 

Seven people were convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. All the convicts were sentenced to death, but in 2014, the Supreme Court commuted it to life imprisonment. After this, only after getting no relief, the culprits approached the Supreme Court.

In 2016 and 2018 J. Jayalalithaa and A. Of. Palanisamy's government had recommended the release of the convicts. But subsequent governors did not follow it and finally sent it to the President. Due to the lack of decision on the mercy petition for a long time, the convicts had approached the Supreme Court.