Abolish capital punishment: Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict AG Perarivalan after release

New Delhi | Jolarpettai (TN): Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict AG Perarivalan on Wednesday celebrated the Supreme Court verdict directing his release by playing the Tamil percussion instrument 'Parai'. The news of the SC allowing him to walk free was received with great jubilation by his family, relatives and several pro-Tamil outfits in Tamil Nadu.

"I firmly believe there is no need for capital punishment. Not just for mercy...many judges, including Supreme Court chief justices, have said so and there are many examples. Everybody is human," he said, with his mother Arputhammal and relatives by his side.

Welcoming the judgement, chief minister MK Stalin said it could find a place in the "justice-law-political-administrative history". He recalled that the state had placed firm arguments in the court on Perarivalan's plea before the SC.


Stalin also spoke to Arputhammal over the phone. Perarivalan, his mother and others later met the CM. "Though delayed, this is a historic verdict," Stalin said.

Regarding the other six convicts, the government will hold discussions with legal experts on their release after going through the details of the judgement in today's case, the CM added.

The AIADMK said Perarivalan's release was a result of the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's "grit, farsightedness and legal acumen." Later, Perarivalan and his mother met ex-CM EK Palaniswami.

TNCC chief Alagiri said Perarivalan was only released on legal nuances. "We don't want to criticise the apex court verdict. At the same time, we want to stress that the culprits are murderers and not innocent people," he said in a party statement.

With PTI Inputs