The Supreme
Court on Monday issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government on the
petitions of S. Nalini and R.P. Ravichandran, convicts in Rajiv Gandhi
assassination case.
Citing the release of convict A.G. Perarivalan in the
same case, both convicts, who are serving life imprisonment, have moved the
apex court seeking their release from the prison.
A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and B.V.
Nagarathna sought a response from the Tamil Nadu and Central
government on the pleas. "Notice. Liberty granted to serve standing
counsel of Tamil Nadu and Union of India...," said the top
court, in its order, while scheduling the matter for hearing on October 14.
Nalini and Ravichandran had moved the Madras High
Court citing Perarivalan's release, however the high court refused to entertain
their plea seeking release from the prison. They moved the apex court
challenging the high court order.
The high court had said that it cannot exercise powers
under Article 142 of the Constitution to pass a similar order, which was passed
by the apex court to release another accused, A.G. Perarivalan, in the case.
"The directions sought by the petitioner cannot be given by the court, as
it otherwise does not have power similar to what the apex court has under
Article 142 of the Constitution of India. For the foregoing reasons, the writ
petition is dismissed as not maintainable," said the high court in an
order passed in June.
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 A.G. Perarivalan, sentenced to life
in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
A bench comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao (retired
now), B.R. Gavai, and A.S. Bopanna said: "In the exceptional facts and
circumstances of this case, in exercise of our power under Article 142 of the
Constitution, we direct that the Appellant is deemed to have served the
sentence in connection with crime... The Appellant, who is on bail, is set at
liberty forthwith." Perarivalan is currently on bail. His death sentence
was commuted to life sentence and terrorism charges were withdrawn.
The top court took into account Perarivalan's
prolonged period of incarceration, his satisfactory conduct in jail as well as
during parole, chronic ailments from his medical records, his educational
qualifications acquired during incarceration and the pendency of his petition
under Article 161 for two-and-a-half years after the recommendation of the
state cabinet.