SC notice to CBI on Rajiv killer’s plea

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, January 24

The Supreme Court today asked the CBI to respond to a plea filed by a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, seeking recall of the apex court’s May 1999 order upholding his conviction on the ground that he was not aware of the conspiracy.

Terming the questions raised by convict AG Perarivalan as “serious” and “debatable”, a Bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked the CBI to respond to his plea in three weeks and fixed February 21 for further hearing.

Rajiv was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu during an election rally by a woman suicide bomber, Dhanu, at an election rally. Fourteen others, including Dhanu, were also killed.

Perarivalan was initially awarded death sentence which was later commuted to life imprisonment. He has sought recall of the top court’s verdict upholding his conviction contending he was not aware of the conspiracy. He has been in jail for the last 26 years.

He was held guilty of supplying two nine-volt batteries, which were allegedly used in the improvised explosive device (IED) that killed Rajiv.

In his application, Perarivalan referred to an affidavit filed by V Thiagarajan, then CBI SP who had recorded his confessional statement under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act.