Rajiv Gandhi assassination: TN challenges parole to convict

Madurai, Feb 20 : The Tamil Nadu government today challenged a court order directing it to grant at least two weeks ordinary leave to P Ravichandran, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, at the Madras High Court Bench here.

Ravichandran, 16th accused in the case, was found guilty of participating in criminal conspiracy to assassinate the former Prime Minister and was sentenced to death along with 25 others by Special Court on January 28, 1998. The Supreme Court had commuted his sentence to life term.

Ravichandran is undergoing life term at Central Prison here and has spent more than 20 years in prison.

His mother Rajeshwari had filed a writ petition in the Madurai Bench of the High Court seeking to release his son on 30 days ordinary leave for settling family disputes and also to make arrangements for maintenance of lands, properties and house.

Justice V Ramasubramanian on December 20 had directed authorities to release Ravichandran on ordinary leave for at least two weeks and pass appropriate orders within two weeks prescribing the date, time and the modality for working out other details.

While passing the order, the Judge had also pointed out the prisoner had gone out only three occasions for short spells. On all those occasions, his conduct and character in the society, had not come to adverse notice, he said.

PTI