New Delhi: The Union government on Thursday, November 17, moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its order for premature release of six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The Union government said the order granting remission to the convicts, who had assassinated the former prime minister, was passed without affording it adequate opportunity for hearing despite it being a necessary party to the case.
The Union government contended that the top court’s decision has led to an “admitted and glaring breach of principles of natural justice and has, in fact, resulted into miscarriage of justice”, NDTV reported.
It said four out of the six convicts granted remission are Sri Lankans.
“Granting remission to terrorist of foreign nation, who had been duly convicted in accordance with the law of land for gruesome offence of assassinating the former prime minister of the country, is a matter which has international ramification and therefore falls squarely within the sovereign powers of the Union of India,” it said in its review plea.
“In such a sensitive matter, the assistance of Union of India was of paramount importance as the matter has huge repercussions on the public order, peace, tranquillity and criminal justice system of the country,” the Union government said.
On November 11, the Supreme Court ordered the premature release of all those who were convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The court ordered the release of six convicts, Nalini Sriharan, Robert Pais, R.P. Ravichandran, Suthenthira Raja alias Santhan, Sriharan alias Murugan and Jaikumar.
A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and B.V. Nagarathna passed the order after the top court on May 17 granted relief to A.G. Perarivalan, another convict in the case, saying the matter is applicable for all the other convicts too.
