The state government on Thursday conveyed President Pratibha Patil’s decision rejecting the mercy plea of the three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to the superintendent of Vellore prison. This brings the men on death row closer to the execution.
“I am directed to enclose the copy of the letter cited for necessary action. A report of the action taken may please be sent to the government early”, said home secretary Rameshram Misra in his letter to the jail superintendent.
Sources said the jail authorities would hand over the letter to the prisoners Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan on Friday. “The hanging will take place on the seventh working day after the handing over of the order to the prisoners”, they said.
President Patil had on August 11 rejected the mercy pleas of three men waiting on death row since their arrest soon after the assassination on May 21, 1991.
The Supreme Court had confirmed their death sentences in 2000 and it took the President 11 years to decide on their mercy petitions.
In a few cases in the past, courts have commuted death sentences after the President took an inordinately long time to reject mercy petitions, thereby prolonging the convicts’ agony.
With the changed political environment, almost all political party leaders, including former chief minister M. Karunanidhi and Opposition leader Vijayakanth, have demanded commutation of these death sentences.
As the issue of hanging the convicts enters a crucial stage, all eyes are now on chief minister Jayalalithaa and her respond to the pleas. Rights activists and the convicts’ families are likely to move the high court on Friday.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko, who is in Delhi, is in touch with senior advocates.