Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: 6 killers including Nalini Sriharan freed by Supreme Court

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and B V Nagarathna said the judgement of the top court in the case of A G Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the case, is applicable in their matter.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the release of all the six life-term convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in view of the Tamil Nadu government`s recommendation. In May, the top court had ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment over the 1991 assassination of the former Prime Minister. A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and BV Nagarathna passed the order of releasing the convicts.

Supreme Court directs release of six accused including Nalini and RP Ravichandran, serving life imprisonment in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/nguZY99Svc — ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2022

It added that the court`s order pertaining to Perarivalan was applicable to all other convicts in the case and also noted that Tamil Nadu has recommended the release of all convicts in the case. The lawyer of the convicts said, "All six accused have been released following the judgment of SC for the fellow convict Perarivalan's case. All six have been released now.''

Convicts S Nalini and R P Ravichandran had moved the apex court challenging the Madras High Court order, which refused to entertain their plea seeking release from prison.

In response to the petitions, the Tamil Nadu government said both had served over 30 years in jail and it had approved the remitting sentence of all seven convicts over four years ago. On May 18, the Supreme Court invoked its extraordinary powers to do complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution, as it ordered the release of Perarivalan.