New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Perarivalan, who has been lodged in jail for the past 32 years, and condemned the delay in the case by the Union government and the CBI.
Perarivalan, Murugan, Chandan, Nalini, Robert Bios, Jayakumar and Ravichandran, all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, have been in jail for more than 32 years. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that the state governor had full power to release them. However, this was strongly opposed by the United Kingdom and the CBI. At the end of 2017, the President also rejected a resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly regarding their release.
Subsequently, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of Perarivalan, alleging that he had bought the battery for the belt bomb used in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. However, the CBI has not been able to provide any evidence to that effect. Therefore, the life sentence given to me in this case should be canceled and I should be released, ‘he said.
In this context, the case came up for hearing yesterday in a session of Justices Nageshwara Rao and PR Kawai. Additional Solicitor Natraj, appearing for the CBI at the time, said the Union government should not grant bail except to grant parole to Perarivalan. In this case, Perarivalan was the first to be sentenced to death. Only the Supreme Court reduced it to life imprisonment. In such a situation, how can he be given relief for the 2nd time? , ‘He said.
Judge Nageshwara Rao intervened and said, “We can inquire in detail later on who has the power over the President or the Governor in this matter. Bail is now being considered. What have the United States and the CBI been doing for the last 32 years? ‘He rebuked.
Advocates Rakesh Dwivedi and Joseph Aristotle, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, said the governor had also rejected a resolution passed in the Tamil Nadu assembly on the release of seven people, including Perarivalan. Currently, the resolution passed for the 2nd time is also pending in the Governor’s Office. The governor rejected the Supreme Court order, ‘he said.
Gopal Sankar Narayanan, a senior advocate appearing for Perarivalan, said, “Godse was acquitted in 14 years in the Gandhi assassination case. In this matter alone, the United States government is biased and stubborn. ‘
After hearing all the arguments, the judges granted bail to Perarivalan, who has been in jail for ’32 years, considering his health and prison probation. Once a month he has to go to the local Jolarpet police station and sign. If Perarivalan has a passport, he should hand it over to the police station. ‘
6 people file bail petition soon: Perarivalan’s lawyer Prabhu said in an interview, ‘Only bail has been granted to Perarivalan. Our demand is for a permanent solution to this problem. Further, based on the bail granted to Perarivalan, we will file a petition in the court soon seeking bail for the other 6 persons, ‘he said.