Congress to file plea against Rajiv case convicts’ release
THE UNION GOVERNMENT SOUGHT A REVIEW OF THE TOP COURT ORDER LAST WEEK
NEW DELHI: The Congress will seek a review of the Supreme Court verdict to release six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, Rajya Sabha MP and the party’s legal expert Abhishek Manu Singhvi said on Monday, days after the Centre moved the apex court seeking a review of its order.
Some party functionaries, however, indicated that they were doubtful if the Supreme Court would allow the Congress to get involved in the review as it was not a party to the case.
“We will file an intervention application to show our intent. We are not happy with the Supreme Court’s decision to release the six convicts,” Singhvi told HT.
“After the Centre has moved the Supreme Court to seek a review of the decision, now we
will seek the apex court’s permission for our intervention,” he added.
On November 11, the Supreme Court released six convicts, including Nalini Sriharan and RP Ravichandran, months after it ordered the released of another convict, AG Perarivalan. The top court invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to release Perarivalan due to his poor health.
The convicts – Perarivalan,
Nalini Sriharan, S Jayakumar, Murugan alias Sriharan, R Ravichandran, Robert Payas and Santhan – were arrested in 1991.
The Union government sought a review of the top court order last week. The Centre said that it didn’t get ample hearing despite being a party to the case.
A section of the Congress, however, remains sceptical. “We earlier thought of a review petition but the SC is unlikely to accept it as the Congress is not a party to the case. Yes, any Gandhi family member could have filed a review petition but they are unlikely to do so. In the plea for intervention, too, there might be a similar argument,” said a senior leader, asking not to be named.
The intervention application is likely to be filed this week.
The Congress earlier termed the court order “totally unacceptable” and “completely erroneous”. It also said that the convicts were released from prison and not acquitted, and should not be seen as “heroes”.
Singhvi said the Gandhi family’s stand that they have forgiven the convicts are their “personal opinions” and added that “with greatest respect, the party does not agree with that view”.
Singhvi, a legal expert, argued that the release of the prisoners sent an “undesirable message” that “we extend to these killers the benefits of our judicial magnitude and largesse, forgetting the nature of their crime”.