Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: SC extends parole of A G Perarivalan by a week

"In so far as relief is concerned in the present matter, the CBI has no role," SC said.

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed a plea for an extension by a week the parole of A G Perarivalan, serving a life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, to undergo a medical check-up.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao, Hemant Gupta and Ajay Rastogi also directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide police escort to Perarivalan during his visit to doctors in a hospital.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayana said the parole, granted to the convict by the Madras High Court was ending on Monday. He asked the court to extend the parole by one more week.

In a hearing conducted via video conferencing, the bench said the issue of grant of remission would be now dealt by it on January 19.

The court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to address it on all the issues raised in the petition on the next date of hearing.

The CBI has last week told the court that an ongoing probe by its multi-disciplinary monitoring agency was going on as per the mandate of Jain Commission about the role of some Sri Lankan and Indian suspects and was not related to Perarivalan, already convicted in the 1991 Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

"The CBI is conducting further investigation on the mandate given to it and its progress report is submitted to the designated court at Chennai. The further investigation spread over to different countries and its status have already been shared with this court," it said.

In an affidavit filed on November 20 to a plea by Perarivalan for his release, the CBI said the relief sought by him was an issue between him and the office of Tamil Nadu Governor where it was to be decided whether remission can be granted or not.

"In so far as relief is concerned in the present matter, the CBI has no role," it said.

The probe agency also pointed out that the top court had already on March 14, 2018, dismissed an application by Perarivalan for recall of May 11, 1999 judgement holding him guilty in the case. The petitioner had then relied upon confessions by the accused that he was unaware of about the purpose of 9-volt battery purchased by him and handed over to the prime accused Sivarasan.