SC extends parole of Rajiv Gandhi’s killer Perarivalan for medical check-up

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 23

The Supreme Court on Monday extended by a week the parole of Rajiv Gandhi’s killer AG Perarivalan, serving life sentence, and asked the Tamil Nadu Government to provide escort to him to enable him to undergo medical tests.

A Bench, headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao, passed the order after senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said the Madras High Court had earlier extended the parole from November 9 to November 23.

The Bench said it intended to dispose of Perarivalan’s plea for remission of sentence on January 19, 2021, the next date of hearing. On November 3, the Bench had said investigation into the “larger conspiracy” behind Rajiv Gandhi’ assassination need not deter the Governor from deciding clemency plea of Perarivalan, who has been in prison for more than two decades.

The CBI told the Supreme Court last week that the Tamil Nadu Governor was the competent authority to take call on his remission plea.

In an affidavit filed last week, the CBI said the issue of remission of sentence was solely between Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Perarivalan and it was for the Governor to decide whether to release him.