The Tamil Nadu government has rejected a plea of P. Arputhammal, mother of A.G. Perarivalan, one of the life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, seeking the release of her son on parole citing risks of being imprisoned during the Coronavirus pandemic. Perarivalan is presently lodged at the Puzhal Central Prison.
In a letter sent to P. Arputhammal, the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, S.K. Prabakar said the concerns expressed by the petitioner were unfounded since the Prison Department had already taken effective steps as per the Standard Operating Procedure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the prison population as directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Tamil Nadu Health Department.
As regards the healthcare in prison, the condition of Perarivalan was being regularly monitored and treated by the prison doctors adhering to the guidelines stipulated under the Tamil Nadu Prison Rules, 1983.
Rejecting the petition seeking Perarivalan’s release on parole till the pandemic is over, the Home Secretary said the matter was examined by the government on merits. The facts and circumstances mentioned in the representations were not valid reasons for involving the powers granted under Rule 40 of the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982, to relax Rule 22(3) of the said Rules in view of the fact that the prisoner was not eligible for grant of ordinary leave since he had availed 60 days of ordinary leave which was completed on January 12, 2020. He would be eligible for consideration of sanction for the next spell of ordinary leave only from January 12, 2022.
Hence the representation was not feasible for compliance by the government, Mr. Prabakar said.
