Three killers of Rajiv Gandhi, before ten days they were to be hanged, today they got a repreive from the Madras High Court which stayed their execution for eight weeks even as the Tamil Nadu Assembly in an exceptional unanimous resolution appealed to the President to re-consider their mercy pleas.
A bench comprising of Justices C Nagappan and M Satyanarayanan issued notices to the Centre, stopping the execution set for September 9, the State government and the Police, observing that there had been a delay of 11 years in the disposal of their petitions seeking Presidential moderation.
Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan lodged in the Vellore jail, who were convicted and sentenced for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi during an election rally at Sriperumpudur on May 21, 1991 by an LTTE suicide bomber.
Ram Jethmalani, who pleaded their case, told the reporters after the court paased the interim order that the High Court is doing justice and stayed the execution.
Jethmalani, Colin Gonsalves and R Vaigai, appearing for the three convicts, while disposing of their mercy petitions violating Art 21 of the Indian Constitution contended it as inordinate and inexplicable delay.
Shortly before the High Court order, the Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution moved by Jayalalithaa requesting President Pratibha Patil to re-consider the mercy petitions which was rejected earlier this month.
A huge crowd which was present outside the court applauded the interim order that was keenly awaited by the leaders of several political parties and human rights groups who have launched a campaign to save the lives of the three convicts.
News Reported by AR for Newsvision
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