Santhan alias T Suthendiraraja (55) is a Sri Lankan national and was one of the seven persons set free by the Supreme Court in 2022 after they served over 20 years of jail term in connection with the killing of the former prime minister near here in 1991.
"The Congress party criticises it clearly and finds it wholly untenable. It is most unfortunate that the Supreme Court has not acted in consonance with the spirit of India on this issue," he said.
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the premature release of six convicts, including Nalini Sriharan and R P Ravichandran, serving life term in the assassination case of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, noting that the Tamil Nadu government has recommended remission of their sentence.
Facing criticism from the Congress, the government on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its order for premature release of six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned to November 11 the hearing on a plea filed by Nalini Sriharan, serving life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, seeking premature release.
"A fresh review application challenging the Supreme Court decision to release the convicts on the grounds set out in the order will be filed on behalf of the party in the next few days," a party insider said.
Murugan, along with Santhan, both Sri Lankan nationals, were taken in a police vehicle following their release to the special refugee camp in Tiruchirappalli in the state.
R P Ravichandran, one of the six convicts who was released on Saturday in the assassination case of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, said that the people of north India should see them as 'victims instead of terrorists or killers'.
The timeline of events in the case in which the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of A G Perarivalan, who has served over 30 years in jail in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case invoking its extraordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of A G Perarivalan, who has served over 30 years of life term in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
A G Perarivalan alias Arivu is now a free man following a legal battle, and that long fight provides scope for throwback moments of Tamil sentiment that propelled the struggle which was backed by most political parties and successive governments in Tamil Nadu.
Convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case lodged in the Central prison in Vellore for nearly 25 years, have turned deeply spiritual.
The current question is about the BJP-ruled Centre, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, like its predecessors, not arguing the Union of India's case effectively and continuously, whenever the matter came up in the past, if its case still was that Rajiv's killing was an 'act of terror', asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
The apex court said the killers of the former prime minister will stay in the jails of Tamil Nadu, thus overruling the state government's decision to release the convicts.
Perarivalan is being treated at the prison hospital, police said.
A member whose party is a supporter of the United Progressive Alliance on Friday pleaded in the Lok Sabha for saving Rajiv Gandhi's killers -- Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan -- from the gallows.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to A G Perarivalan, serving life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict A G Perarivalan on Wednesday celebrated the Supreme Court verdict directing his release by playing the Tamil percussion instrument 'Parai' and now wants to breathe the air of freedom before thinking about his future, as the apex court ruling put an end to his three-decade prison term.
The Rajiv Gandhi assassination, investigation and trial were all jinxed in parts, recalls N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred until March 26 the hearing on the Centre's plea against the Tamil Nadu government's decision to release seven prisoners convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
After staying release of three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the Supreme Court on Thursday restrained the Tamil Nadu government from letting out four more convicts in the case.
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a plea by S Nalini, undergoing life imprisonment in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, challenging the law mandating Centre's approval for her release and that of six other convicts.
S Nalini, who has been undergoing life imprisonment in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has approached the Supreme Court seeking to declare as "null and void" a provision in law mandating Tamil Nadu government to consult the Centre before releasing seven life term convicts in the case.
The govt decided to recommend to the governor, the release of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran, Robert Payas and Nalini, serving life imprisonment.
The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday decided to release all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, including A G Perarivalan and Nalini.
After having secured a stay on release of three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the Centre on Monday moved the apex court to prevent implementation of Tamil Nadu government's decision to set free four other convicts serving life imprisonment in the case.
She had petitioned the court seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to press the Governor to take a decision on its September 2018 recommendation for premature release of all the seven convicts serving life term in the case.
Renewing his demand for abolishing death penalty, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Saturday made a fresh pitch for a state cabinet meeting to adopt a resolution recommending commutation of the death sentence awarded to three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court seeking review of its judgement in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in which it was ruled that the Centre has "primacy" over states' right to grant remission.
President Pratibha Patil has rejected the clemency petitions of three killers of Rajiv Gandhi whose death sentences were confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2000.
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Vaiko on Saturday requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to take efforts for cancelling the death sentence awarded to three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the curative petition of the Centre filed against the commutation of death penalty into life imprisonment of three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, granting a fresh lease of life to them.
Political parties in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday welcomed the Madras high court order staying the execution of the three convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and adoption of a resolution by the state assembly appealing to the President to reconsider their mercy pleas.
Granting the interim stay, a bench comprising justices C Nagappan and M Sathayanarayanan observed there had been a delay of over 11 years in the disposal of the mercy petitions filed by the convicts to the President seeking clemency.
The three -- Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan-- lodged in Vellore Jail, were scheduled to be hanged on September 9.
Claiming that Tamils will be happy if the three Rajiv killers are spared the gallows, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Monday "fervently" asked for a cancellation of their death sentence.
Making a suo moto statement in the Assembly, Jayalalithaa said, "I don't have any power to alter the Presidential order rejecting the mercy petitions of the three," -- Murugan, Perarivalan and Santhan.
The Centre is likely to tell the Madras high court that no time limit is prescribed for the president to take a decision on mercy petition of any death row convict.
Arputhammal, mother of Perarivalan alias Arivu, said she met Governor Purohit at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai and presented a petition with some accompanying material and exuded confidence he will accept her demand.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances