CHENNAI: Dr S Ramadoss, PMK founder, has said that the Governor should take steps to release the seven convicts of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case immediately.
“It is exposed that the Union government has stalled the release of the seven convicts of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case despite no stipulated rule to do so. It should be condemned. The Supreme Court has ordered that the State government can release the seven convicts under section 161 of the Indian Constitution.
Following the same, the State Cabinet had sent the recommendation for the said release to the Governor. The same has been kept for his consideration for the last 81 days,” noted Dr S Ramadoss, in a press release here.
“The situation came to light after one of the seven convicts, AG Perarivalan’s RTI enquiry that there is no rule framed by the Union government to commute the punishment under the sections 432-435 of CRPC,” Hence, how can the Union government refuse the commutation of the convicts if there is no any specific rule?” he asked.
He therefore urged, “It would be a violation of human rights as the Governor has been delaying his decision for the last 81 days over releasing the seven convicts and there is no valid reason for delaying the same. Hence, the Governor should order the release without any delay.”