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TN govt rejects parole for Perarivalan, HC to decide on Sept 8

Perarivalan’s mother, Arputhammal, had sought parole for her son citing health risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday, the Tamil Nadu government informed the Madras High Court that it has rejected the parole plea of one of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts, AG Perarivalan. The plea was moved by Perarivalan’s mother, Arputhammal, seeking parole for her son for 90 days, citing health risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to reports, the case came up once again for hearing before Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice VM Velumani on Friday. Submitting the parole application, Additional Public Prosecutor R Prabhavathi said that the state had rejected parole for Perarivalvan. She said that the government had rejected the plea since he was ineligible to take ordinary leave under prison rule. Further, the Additional Chief Secretary Home Department has said that the parole cannot be granted on the grounds mentioned by Arputhammal since the Prisons Department was taking steps as per the Standard Operating Procedures issued to contain the spread of coronavirus among the prisoners, said a report.

Arputhammal had moved a habeas corpus plea seeking parole for her son for 90 days citing his health condition and the spread of coronavirus. 

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Prisons Department had rejected Perarivalan’s parole plea stating that he had already been granted parole in 2017 and 2019, and that he was ineligible for parole this year.

The Madras High Court had told the Tamil Nadu government to decide on the matter. On hearing the Tamil Nadu government’s decision, the division bench of Justice Kirubakaran and VM Velumani adjourned the case for September 8. 

Perarivalan has availed 60 days of ordinary leave already and he completed his last parole on January 12, 2020. Hence, he can avail parole only by 2022 as per prison rule. However, Perarivalan has served 30 years of prison sentence after being convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi Assasination case. Perarivalan was arrested along with Nalini, Murugan, Santhan, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Jayakumar in 1991.

Source: The News Minute