The Supreme Court of India ordered to release 6 convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case

The top court ordered the release of all six convicted persons who are presently serving lifetime in Tihar jail in the matter of killing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

All the six are to be released from punishment if they are not convicted in any other case, the top court noted while listening to the case filed by the A1 listed in the matter, who was currently at the site of the blasting launch which killed Rajiv Gandhi along with other 21 people.

Two judge benches composed of Justices BR Gavai and BV Nagarathna noted this order by permitting the convicts Nalini, Santhan, Murugan, Sriharan, Robert Payas, and Ravichandran to be free from punishment.

The apex court’s order was in uniform with its previous verdict in the case for relief by AG Perarivalan, other accused in the same matter, who was in jail for almost thirty-one years.

In the Perarivalan plea, the top court took note of the Governor's inordinate holding up in noting a verdict on the mercy petition and had called on powers under the provisions of the 142nd Article of the Constitution.

Former Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a terrorist group LTTE with a suicide bombing during a campaign rally in Sriperumbudur in 1991 May.