Raj Bhavan clarifies on release of three convicts

The release from Raj Bhavan clearly explained stage by stage the exchanges between the Governor and the state government.

The press release said the Governor had objected to the completion of just five years in the total imprisonment period in the Government Order and insisted on the completion of at least 10 years of imprisonment. The State government, accordingly, issued revised orders as per GO 302 of the Home Department dated May 3.

The files, including the ones relating to the three AIADMK men, the releases further claimed, were examined by the committee headed by the ADGP (Prisons) and were approved by yet another committee “consisting of the Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Chief Secretary, Law Minister and Chief Minister,” before they were sent to Raj Bhavan.

After the order to release a total of 1,627 prisoners, who were serving life term on the occasion of MGR Centenary celebrations, the Governor recorded that the freeing of three life convicts should be reconsidered and returned the file to the government.

Thereafter, the Advocate General and Chief Secretary met the Governor October 31 and explained the details of the case and highlighted the point that the three life convicts had no intention to kill the victims. After the Governor’s direction, the Advocate General in his opinion, also stated that the cases of the three life convicts fell within the guidelines laid down by the government for release of the prisoners on the occasion of MGR centenary celebrations, the release stated.

The opinion of the Advocate General was accepted by the government and the file was again recirculated for orders with the approval of Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Chief Secretary, Law Minister and Chief Minister with the recommendation that the three life convicts should be released prematurely as already proposed, the Raj Bhavan release added.

Their release drew criticisms from the opposition parties who questioned the Governor’s silence on the State government’s recommendation for release of seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case under the Article 161 of the Constitution.

But to everyone’s surprise the Raj Bhavan issued a second press release, almost similar to the first one except for the fact that the portion about the State’s submission of the file for the third time seeking remission for the three accused was missing. Otherwise both press releases, issued in quick succession, were similar.

This clearly suggested that the Governor’s office was totally unhappy with the State government on the issue of premature release of the three convicts.