“I still firmly believe that the State government will take efforts for the quick release of my son Perarivalan,” said Arputham Ammal, mother of A.G. Perarivalan, one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
Her response comes in the wake of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informing the Supreme Court that Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit would take a decision in the next three or four days on the State government’s recommendation to release seven convicts, including A.G. Perarivalan, undergoing life imprisonment for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.
Arputham Ammal, who is unwell, tweeted that she had pinned her hopes on the State government regarding her son's release.
Perarivalan’s father Gnanasekaran said that it was going to be 30 years since his son has been in prison. “We have been waiting for his release for a long time now and we are hopeful to get it this time,” he said.
K.Sivakumar, advocate for Perarivalan, said that in September 2018, the Supreme Court asked the Governor to decide the pardon plea and a few days after this, the Tamil Nadu Cabinet made the recommendation to the Governor to release the prisoners.
“He landed in jail in 1991 and ever since his behaviour has been good. He has completed his M.Phil., in prison. Besides, his health condition is also not good,” he added.
