Petition to grant leave for Rajiv Gandhi case convict

Madurai: Tamil Nadu governor and state government have been asked by Madras high court to consider the plea of the mother of a convict in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case for his premature release.

P. Rajeswari (61) from Arupukkottai in Virud-hunagar district in her letter to chief secretary of Tamil Nadu government said her son Ravi alias Ravichandran has completed 20 years imp-risonment and hence the governor has power to release him under article 161 of Constitution.

Until the final decision of the governor and the apex court on premature release, prison authorities should grant one month leave to Ravichandran to settle property dispute, she said.

The mother attached the copy of the letter with a habeas corpus petition she filed before a division bench of Madras High Court comprising Justices M.M. Sun-dresh and Sathish Kumar seeking to direct authorities to grant long leave for her son to settle property dispute. She also requested the court to direct the police not to restrain the movement of his son if they grant him leave.

The petitioner’s counsel said prison authorities had rejected the petitioner claim for leave on the ground that a prisoner would be granted a second spell of leave not exceeding one month after the completion of two years of imprisonment from the date on which he returns from the last ordinary leave.   

Last time, the convict couldn't solve the property dispute because he was not al-lowed to move from home to meet officials and advocates, said the advocate.
 After examining the petition, the court reques-ted the governor and the state to consider the request within two weeks.