SC grants bail to Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict AG Perarivalan

The bench comprising Justice L Nageswara Rao and Justice BR Gavai took note of the submission that the convict has been in jail for over 30 years and his conduct inside the prison and during the period of parole has been satisfactory.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court has granted bail to AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the assassination of ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi. Perarivalan was sentenced to life imprisonment and has been in jail for 32 yrs and he is currently out on parole.

The bench comprising Justice L Nageswara Rao and Justice BR Gavai took note of the submission that the convict has been in jail for over 30 years and his conduct inside the prison and during the period of parole has been satisfactory. SC also noted that Centre has opposed his bail.

However, SC bench said that there is "sufficient material produced by the petitioner regarding his conduct, his ill health, and taking into account the fact that he has spent more than 30 years in prison, we are of the view that he should be released on bail".

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at a poll rally. Fourteen others, including Dhanu herself, were also killed.