New Delhi: The Supreme said on Wednesday that Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict AG Perarivalam is entitled to get bail since he has undergone a sentence of more than 30 years.
India’s former Prime Minister was killed in a suicide bombing in Tamil Nadu’s Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991.
“Taking into account the fact that the applicant has spent over 30 years in prison, we are of the considered view that he is entitled to be released on bail, in spite of the vehement opposition by the Centre,” the apex court observed.
The two-member bench of Justice L Nageswara Rao and Justice BR Gavai was hearing a special petition filed by Perarivalan in 2016 against refusal of Madras High Court to entertain his plea seeking commutation of sentence, LiveLaw reported.
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Perarivalan, currently on parole, was given parole thrice earlier, the bench noted.
The Supreme Court said the bail will be subject to the satisfaction of trial court’s conditions.
Perarivalan will have to report to the local police station during the first week of every month.
The Centre opposed granting of bail to Perarivalan as additional solicitor general KM Narataj argued that the convict has already availed mercy petition once and his death penalty was commuted to life sentence by the Supreme Court in 2014.
The apex court listed the case for further hearing on Governor’s powers to decide his early release approved by Tamil Nadu state cabinet and his reference of the matter to the President.
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