SC decision to free killers of former PM Rajiv Gandhi unacceptable, erroneous: Congress

NEW DELHI: Criticising the Supreme Court order on Friday to set free Nalini Sriharan and five others serving life sentences in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the Congress said the decision is “unacceptable and completely erroneous”.
“The decision to free the remaining killers of former PM Rajiv Gandhi is unacceptable and completely erroneous. Congress criticises it and finds it wholly untenable,” said Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary.
He alleged that the SC did not act in consonance with the “spirit of India.
Setting free the six convicts earlier in the day, a bench of Justices B R Gavai and B V Nagarathna also said the judgment of the top court in the case of A G Perarivalan, another convict, is applicable in their matter.
On May 18, the apex court, invoking its extraordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution, had ordered the release of Perarivalan, who had served over 30 years in jail.
Sriharan, Ravichandran, Santhan, Murugan, Perarivalan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar were sentenced to life terms.
Both Sriharan and Ravichandran have been on parole since December 27 last year.