Chennai: The Supreme Court has granted bail to AG Perarivalan, who was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Perarivalan is the first accused to be granted bail in the case. Perarivalan, who is undergoing treatment for a severe kidney ailment, is currently on parole. Despite being on parole, his lawyer told the court he was not allowed to leave the house or see anyone.
Bail was granted despite strong opposition from the central government. Perarivalan is one of the six accused in the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in a bomb blast in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The CBI found that the battery used to carry out the blast was delivered by Perarivalan. He was arrested on June 11, 1991.
The Tamil Nadu government has demanded the release of the accused, who have been lodged in jail for three decades. This demand has not been approved by the Governor. It is reported that Perarivalan was not directly involved in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and that he bought the battery to make the bomb as suggested by others.
English Summary: SC grants bail to Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict A G Perarivalan