Cong ‘deeply saddened' over release of Rajiv Gandhi assassin, seeks answers from PM Modi

The Congress reaction came after the top court said that AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, who has been behind bars for 31 years, was released early on Wednesday.

New Delhi: Shortly after the Supreme Court released an accused in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Congress on Wednesday said it was a sad day. “We are deeply saddened by the Supreme Court's decision. If those guilty of assassinating a former prime minister are released, what will happen to the majesty of law in the country?” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked.

“PM Modi needs to answer. Is this your doublespeak on terrorism? Are you going to be complicit in the release of murderers of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi,” he added.

The Congress reaction came after the top court said that AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, who has been behind bars for 31 years, was released early on Wednesday.

According to Surjewala, the SC released one of the accused saying the Centre’s nominee and then Tamil Nadu governor BL Purohit did not take a call in the matter and instead referred it to the President.

“By default, you are permitting the release of the killers. Is this your nationalism?” asked Surjewala, adding “it exposes the deep-rooted prejudice in the mind of PM Modi and the BJP leaders. This has hurt millions of Indians,” he said.

The Congress leader further said that on Sep 9, 2011, the Centre had asked TN Governor BL Purohit to take a call on the release of the killers but he referred the matter to President Ram Nath Kovind, who is yet to take a call on it. “This will now lead to the release of other leaders too,” said Surjewala.

The verdict could pave the way for the release of the other six convicts in the case, including Nalini Sriharan and her husband Murugan, a Sri Lankan national. Perarivalan was sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court in 1998. However, the Supreme Court upheld the sentence the very next year and commuted it to life imprisonment in 2014. In March this year, the top court granted him bail.