Rajiv assassination case: Congress to file review plea challenging release of 6 convicts

New Delhi, Nov 21: The Congress will file a fresh review in Supreme Court over the release of six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The grand old party will file the plea in the next three to four days, senior Congress leader told PTI. The development comes days after the Centre moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its order for premature release of six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

On November 11, the top court had ordered premature release of six convicts (Nalini, RP Ravichandran, Santhan, Murugan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar), noting the Tamil Nadu government had recommended remission of their sentence.

However, the delay in filing the review petition by the Centre was slammed by the Congress.

The Congress took a swipe at the government, saying it is "a case of belated wisdom". "Government's decision to file review petition against the release of Rajiv Gandhi assassination convicts is a case of belated wisdom dawning," said AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal. "BJP government has been blatantly apathetic towards this case. What's the point in locking the door after the horse has bolted!" he said on Twitter.

The former Indian PM was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991 at a poll rally in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu. Fourteen others, including Dhanu herself, were also killed.

The Centre 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.