Times of India: Chennai: Saturday, May 11, 2013.
Perarivalan, one of the three death convicts in
the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, had a video-conference on Thursday with
chief information commissioner Sushma Singh, seeking reasons for the rejection
of his mercy plea by the Presdient, in August 2011, and details of
communication between the home ministry and the President's office on his case.
This is the first such hearing of a death convict
in the country. The video-conference, which was to be held on April 16, was
postponed because of a technical problem. Perarivalan had sought such a
conference after his RTI questions to the Union home ministry did not yield a
reply. Perarivalan, who has been in confinement for 22 years, argued his case
before Singh and J L Chugh, joint secretary in the home ministry.
Perarivalan's counsel K Surender said his client
sought transcripts and communication between the home ministry and the
President's office before his mercy plea was rejected. "He also sought
information on whether the disposal of his mercy plea had considered details
such as his character and behaviour in the Vellore central prison,"
counsel said.
The 30-minute video-conference happened on
Thursday noon. "After the appeal hearing, Perarivalan was happy as he was
doubtful about the technology after it failed last time," he said. The
chief information commissioner, who heard his appeal, asked him to send a
detailed petition immediately.
Besides seeking information on the reasons for
rejecting of his plea, Perarivalan appealed to the CIC to get him information
on whether there was a complete investigation of his role in the making of the
bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi. When he was arrested at the age of 18, he had
been charged with providing a nine-volt battery for the explosive device. But
one of the RTI replies from the ministry notes that the investigation did not
cover making of the bomb. In his petition, Perarivalan sought a clarification
on the matter.
However, Chugh, representing the home ministry,
replied to Perarivalan that the decisions taken by the President regarding the
disposal of mercy plea cannot be challenged in any court of law. "Chugh
also said that they cannot divulge any information in this regard," said
Surendar.
However, the CIC's direction to give a detailed
petition in writing has given hope to Perarivalan, said a senior prison
officer. Perarivalan's mother Arputhambal said he badly wanted some clarity on
the reasons for his predicament. "During his jail stay, he completed
higher studies with gold medals. He believes that none of these factors had
been considered or collected from the Vellore prison officials before the
president of India rejected his mercy plea," she said.
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