The grey hair and the wrinkles around her eyes tell the tales of her legal fight to get her son back home from behind the bars of Vellore central prison. A week after meeting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy, Arputhammal, mother of Rajiv Gandhi murder case convict A.G. Perarivalan alias Arivu, has now knocked the doors of Raj Bhavan. Arputhammal called on Governor Banwarilal Purohit to request him to take a decision on the release of her son.
Speaking to the media after meeting the governor, Aruputhammal exuded confidence on the release of Perarivalan and six other convicts, who have been in prison for more than 27 years. “The governor took a lot of interest in our petition and even pointed out an error that we rectified then and there. I am confident that the governor will take a positive decision with regards to the release of Arivu and others,” she said.
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Stating that she shared with the governor a CD containing submissions of former interrogator V. Thiagarajan, Arputhammal expressed confidence that the governor will look into all required records and take an appropriate decision. It may be recalled that Thiagarajan, in an affidavit in the Supreme Court last year, had said that he had omitted parts of Perarivalan’s confessional statement with regard to him buying batteries for the human bomb that blew up the former prime minister and others. Perarivalan, according to Thiagarajan, had said that he didn't know why he was asked to buy the batteries for.
Arpruthammal calling on the governor comes weeks after a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and K.M. Joseph, ruled that the governor was at liberty to decide on the release of the seven convicts lodged in Vellore and Madurai prisons. The top court has empowered the governor to pardon the convicts as “he deems fit”, under Article 161 of the Constitution. After the judgment, the Tamil Nadu cabinet met and passed a resolution, urging the governor to release the seven convicts.
The Raj Bhavan has confirmed that it got the relevant records from the government after the resolution was passed by the cabinet. It further said, “All efforts are being taken to process the papers scrupulously. Necessary consultation is being carried out. The decision will be taken in a fair manner and in accordance with the Constitution.” The records are voluminous and were handed over to Raj Bhavan on September 14, it said.
With just seven months to go for the Lok Sabha elections, it remains to be seen if the governor will take a decision to release the Rajiv Gandhi murder case convicts.
