Release all convicts in the assassination case: MDMK urges Jayalalithaa

The MDMK today demanded the release of all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case on the occasion of the ensuing Pongal festival and wanted Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to adopt a resolution in the State Cabinet in this regard and recommend to the Governor for their release.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at the party’s district secretaries meet at Trichy today. The resolution said based on guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, the Chief Minister under Article 161 of the Indian Constitution, should convene a meeting of the State Cabinet, adopt a resolution and recommend to the Governor for the release of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, who were languishing in jails for close to 25 years, along with Nalini, Robert Pyas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran in view of the Pongal festival. 

It said the Supreme Court had on February 18, 2014 commuted the death sentences of Murugan, Perarivalan and Santhan to life, following which the then Congress-led UPA regime filed an appeal, dismissed by the then Chief Justice Sadhasivam. On yet another review petition filed by the Congress regime, the Bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu had on July 29 last year upheld the commutation of the death sentences of the trio to life. 

The resolution said following a petition challenging the Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolution adopted by Ms Jayalalithaa in February 2014, recommending release of the seven convicts, the Constitutional Bench of the Apex Court had on December seven last year ruled that the state government could not release them without the consent of the Centre. 

Stating that same power under Article 72, allowing President to commute sentences or grant pardon, was also granted to the Governor under Article 161 of the Constitution, it said the Apex Court had held that the President and the Governor should act as per the recommendations of the State and the Central Governments on such issues. “Taking this into account, the Chief Minister should adopt a resolution in the State Cabinet under Article 161 and recommend to the Governor to release all the seven convicts,” the resolution added.