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A. G. Perarivalan

Summary

A. G. Perarivalan (born 30 July 1971) is a former convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. He was on life imprisonment along with Murugan and Santhan who were other two convicts of the same case.[1][2][4][5][6] The Supreme Court ordered the release of Perarivalan on 18 May 2022 after he spent over 30 years in jail.[7]

A. G. Perarivaalan
Born
Perarivaalan

(1971-07-30) 30 July 1971 (age 52)
Jolarpettai, Tirupattur District, Tamil Nadu, India
Other namesArivu
Conviction(s)Conspiracy (IPC 120-B)
Murder (IPC 302)[1]
Criminal chargeBought and supplied two batteries which were used to detonate the bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi[2][3]

Early life and education edit

Perarivalan was born on 30 July 1971 in Jolarpet, Tamil Nadu to Gnanasekaran alias Kuyildasan and Arputham Ammal.[8][9] His parents were followers of "Periyar" E.V. Ramasamy, the founder of Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu.[10][11] Perarivalan did well in school. Perarivalan was the second highest scorer in the school in the 10th standard public examination. After completing class 10, Perarivalan joined the Diploma course (DECE) in Electronics and Communication Technology and completed it. After completing his diploma course, he worked in the computer department in the office of the Viduthalai Daily magazine located at Periyar Thidal in Chennai.[12]

He completed his bachelor of computer applications and master of computer applications degrees through the Indira Gandhi National Open University while still in prison.[13] In 2012, he scored highest ever mark among prisoners in Plus Two examination with 91.33 per cent. In 2013, he got gold medal by topping a diploma course examination conducted by the Tamil Nadu Open University.[14]

Arrest and sentence edit

He was arrested on 11 June 1991 at Periyar Thidal, Chennai by Central Bureau of Investigation officers. He was charged with providing a 9-volt battery for the explosive device to assassination conspirator Sivarasan.[15] His death penalty was commuted to life term imprisonment after a Supreme Court verdict on 18 February 2014.[16] According to the CBI, Perarivalan confessed on August 14, 1991, and August 15, 1991 to purchasing the batteries making him the main suspect. Right from the start, Perarivalan had firmly stated that his confession statements were distorted.[17]

He has since said that he was unaware of the purpose for which he was buying the batteries, and has consistently maintained his innocence.[18] Perarivalan would repeatedly say during his time in jail that giving a battery shouldn't equate to him knowing about the plot.[19]

Legal journey edit

Perarivalan's case took a turn in 2013 when V. Thiagarajan, a former CBI superintendent of police, acknowledged to tampering with his confession in a documentary by filmmakers from the People's Movement Against the Death Penalty, that he did not take down his statement verbatim.[20]

In 2018, the Tamil Nadu cabinet unanimously passed and delivered a resolution to Governor Banwarilal Purohit requesting the release of all seven inmates. Three years later, the central government told the Supreme Court (which called the governor's delaying extraordinary) that he was waiting for the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency—the CBI's Research and Analysis Wing to probe into the bigger plot behind the assassination to be finished. The Supreme Court handed the governor a week to decide in January 2021, but he stated that the President had sole jurisdiction over remission.[21]

Release edit

On 19 February 2014, Government of Tamil Nadu announced its decision to release him along with six other convicts.[22] Having been granted bail by the Supreme Court, Perarivalan was released on bail on 15 March 2022. After 3 decades of wait, the supreme Court uttered a historical verdict of releasing A.G Perarivalan on 18 May 2022.[23][24][25] The Supreme Court criticized Tamil Nadu Governor for sitting on the recommendation by the state government to remit Perarivalan's sentence for almost two-and-a-half years.[26]

Activists of Pro-Tamil outfits came out on the streets in several parts of the state, raising slogans hailing the Supreme court verdict.[27] Majority of political parties in Tamil Nadu welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict.[28]

In May 2022, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin hailed the release of Perarivalan and hugged him on his visit of gratitude at the Chennai airport.[29][30][31][32][33] Perarivalan, along with his mother, Arputham, also met AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami. They both went on to meet several other leaders belonging to different parties including Thol. Thirumavalavan, Vaiko and Seeman.[34][35][36][37] His release was welcomed by S. Ramadoss.[38] The Tamil Nadu Congress and BJP, however, separately questioned the celebrations after his release.[39]

Book edit

  • An Appeal from the Death Row (Rajiv Murder Case – The Truth Speaks) (OCLC 230730652) – The book was released by Communist Party of India general secretary A. B. Bardhan,[40] in English, Tamil and Hindi versions.[41]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "The final verdict". Frontlineonnet.com. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Gnani Sankaran: Should the state kill in the name of law? – Analysis – DNA". Dnaindia.com. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  3. ^ "State of Tamil Nadu Through ... vs Nalini And 25 Others on 11 May, 1999". Indiankanoon.org. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  4. ^ Kumar, S. Vijay (23 May 2012). "States / Tamil Nadu: Rajiv case convict is exam topper among prisoners". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  5. ^ M. Gunasekaran, D.C. Vellore (29 December 2011). "Perarivalan gives a new meaning to life in prison". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  6. ^ "Time ticking away on death row, a hopeful family campaigns on". The Indian Express. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  7. ^ "SC Orders Release of Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Convict Perarivalan". The Wire.
  8. ^ "Save my son: Perarivalan's father appeals to Jaya". News.webindia123.com. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Arputham Ammal, the 65-year-old mother of one of the three on death row in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, opens her heart | Global Peace Support Group". Globalpeacesupport.com. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  10. ^ "Rajiv's assassination: 'Only a mother will know this pain'". Firstpost. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  11. ^ Kumar, S. Vijay (23 May 2012). "States / Tamil Nadu: Rajiv case convict is exam topper among prisoners". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  12. ^ "பேரறிவாளன் விடுதலை: ஒரு நீண்ட போராட்டத்தின் கதை" – via www.bbc.com.
  13. ^ "A Life of Letters for the Rajiv Assassination Accused". Tehelka.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  14. ^ Kumar, S. Vijay (14 March 2013). "Death row convict bags gold medal in exam". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  15. ^ Janardhan, Arun (15 April 2013). "Rajiv assassin's RTI query: Why my plea was rejected?". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  16. ^ "Supreme Court verdict holds out hope for Rajiv case convicts". The Hindu.
  17. ^ "No Real Evidence Against Him, but Perarivalan Enters 30th Year of Imprisonment". The Wire.
  18. ^ "Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: Perarivalan free after 3-decade legal fight". Hindustan Times. 18 May 2022.
  19. ^ "AG Perarivalan: A Free Man". 20 May 2022.
  20. ^ "Perarivalan, LTTE sympathiser who got the batteries for the bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi". 24 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Imprisonment to bail: How the 32-yr-old legal journey unfolded". Hindustan Times. 10 March 2022.
  22. ^ "Rajiv Gandhi murder: Tamil Nadu to free plotters". BBC News. 19 February 2014.
  23. ^ G, Ananthakrishnan (19 May 2022). "Supreme Court orders release of A G Perarivalan, convict in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case". The Indian Express. The Indian Express. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  24. ^ Sivaraman, R. (15 March 2022). "Perarivalan released on bail". The Hindu.
  25. ^ "Perarivalan released on bail after 31 years; only interim relief, says mother". 15 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Perarivalan case: Why SC felt TN Governor failed constitutional obligations". The News Minute. 19 May 2022.
  27. ^ "'A Mother's Fight Ends', 'Welcome Verdict': Politicians, Activists React to Perarivalan's Release". The Wire.
  28. ^ "Most political parties welcome SC verdict on Perarivalan; Alagiri says convicts not innocent". 18 May 2022 – via www.thehindu.com.
  29. ^ "Tamil Nadu CM hugs Perarivalan on his release, Congress miffed". The News Minute. 20 May 2022.
  30. ^ "Congress sad, ally DMK hails Rajiv assassination convict release order". The Telegraph (India). 19 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Stalin meets Perarivalan, Arputhammal, shares picture". DT Next. 18 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  32. ^ "பேரறிவாளனை கட்டியணைத்த "தமிழக முதல்வர்!" கடுகடுக்கும் கதர்கள்! கருணாநிதி பாணியில் களமாடும் ஸ்டாலின்?". oneindia tamil. 19 May 2022.
  33. ^ "MK Stalin Meets Perarivalan; Says TN Govt's Right Upheld By SC Ruling". India Ahead. 18 May 2022.
  34. ^ Ramakrishan, T. (24 May 2022). "Perarivalan release | The uproar over a hug" – via www.thehindu.com.
  35. ^ Maran, Mathivanan (20 May 2022). 'அண்ணன்' சீமான் வீட்டில் 'தம்பி' பேரறிவாளன், அற்புதம் அம்மாள்- நெகிழும் நாம் தமிழர் நிர்வாகிகள்!. One India (in Tamil).
  36. ^ "``அண்ணன் இல்லையென்றால் இது சாத்தியமில்லை"- வைகோவுக்கு பேரறிவாளன் நெகிழ்ச்சியுடன் நன்றி". Puthiyathalaimurai.
  37. ^ "'அவரிடம் நியாயம் இருந்தது' - நன்றி சொன்ன பேரறிவாளனுக்கு கிடார் பரிசளித்த திருமாவளவன்!". Puthiyathalaimurai.
  38. ^ "Perarivalan release: Take immediate steps to free other convicts too, Ramadoss says | Chennai News - Times of India". The Times of India.
  39. ^ "Congress, BJP question 'celebrations' over Perarivalan's release". Free Press Journal.
  40. ^ Staff Reporter (26 August 2011). "Book by death row convict". The Hindu. India. Archived from the original on 30 October 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  41. ^ Ashar, Hemal (28 September 2011). "In the shadows of the gallows". Mid-Day. India. Retrieved 19 May 2022.