Rajiv case: Victims can amend plea

The issue of release of seven killers of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi took a new turn on Monday with the apex court allowing the victims to amend their petition to challenge the recent decision of the Tamil Nadu government recommending pardon to the killers who are serving life sentence for the last 27 years.

A three- judge bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and K. M. Joseph accepted the request of counsel Sivabala Murugan to amend the petition and to bring on record the recent resolution of the Tamil Nadu government recommending the governor to re- lease the seven convicts. The bench granted three weeks to the counsel to file additional materials.

In March 2014, the petitioners S. Abbas, John Joseph, America V. Narayanan, R. Mala, M. Samuvel Diraviyam and K. Ramasugandam in a writ petition challenged the constitutional validity and applicability of power of pardons, reprieves, respites or remission of punishment or to suspend, remit or commutation of the sentence under, Sections 432, 433, 435 and the limitation of section 433A of the Code of Criminal Procedure ( CrPC).

The court had indicated that the matter would be taken up for consideration after the disposal of the Centre’s petition challenging the state government’s February 19, 2014 proposal to release the seven convicts through remission.