CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government will consider granting parole to AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, said Chief Minister ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami on Saturday.
Responding to requests made by Leader of Opposition MK Stalin, Thameemun Ansari (Jananayaka Manithaneya Makkal Katchi), U Thaniyarasu (Kongu Ilaignar Peravai) and S Karunas (Mukkulathor Pulippadai) and many others, the chief minister said he had discussed this issue with Law Minister CVe Shanmugam and the State Advocate General after receiving requests from various quarters.
“Taking into consideration views of all, the State government will take action on this issue,” Palaniswami said.
Since his arrest just days after the assassination, Perarivalan has spent over 26 years in custody, much more than he has lived outside. His mother Arputham Ammal had filed several petitions with the Chief Minister’s special cell, seeking the release of her son on parole to meet his aged, bed-ridden father.
Meanwhile, responding to the demand of J Anbazhagan (DMK) that convicts who had spent more than 10 years in prison should be released to mark the centenary celebrations of late Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, the chief minister said the government had sought the views of the Advocate General in this regard, and a decision would be taken in consultation with legal experts.