The Madras High Court extended the parole that was granted to AG Perarivalan, one of the accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case on medical grounds.
The HC had earlier granted a 30-day parole to Perarivalan starting 9 October, owing to his multiple health complications in the wake of the pandemic.
Perarivalan's mother, T Arputham, filed a habeas corpus petition in the HC seeking an extension of the 30-day parole. In the petition she said that the court should extend the parole, as convicts in jail were testing positive for the coronavirus. Perarivalan has been in jail for over 29 years.
Taking cognisance of the situation, the court extended Perarivalan's parole by two more weeks till 23 November.
Earlier the Tamil Nadu government had refused to grant him leave till 2022 as he had come out on parole only last year due to his father's health and to attend a wedding.
However, the Madras HC ignored the government's order and granted Perarivalan bail.
Perarivalan has received parole at a time when there is an increased demand to release the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case since they have served over two complete life terms.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee leader KS Alagiri in a statement on Saturday said that only courts can decide whether or not to release the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
“If the court decides to release all the seven life convicts, we will accept it. However, it is not acceptable for the political parties to seek their release. Those who committed the murder should be seen as murderers and not as Tamilians,” the statement read.
Alagiri further said that entertaining such requests would to lead to similar requests for release of convicts who have spent more than 25 years in jail.
“If we start a movement to release the murderers, then it will mean that there is no need for police stations and court or to speak about the law and order. Hence, it was not Tamil culture to support the murderers who killed the former prime minister," the statement further said.
(With inputs from The News Minute and The Indian Express)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)