Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict P. Ravichandran gets 30 days ordinary leave

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has granted a 30 days ordinary leave for P. Ravichandran, a life convict in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case.

Ravichandran, one among the seven life convicts in the assassination case, has been granted ordinary leave by virtue of Section 432 of CrPC (Power of Government to suspend or remit sentences) and Rule 40 of Tamil Nadu Suspension Of Sentences Rules, 1982 (Power of Government to give exemptions to the Rules).

This is the sixth time that Ravichandran has got a leave during his 29 years of jail term.

The government has granted him the leave pursuant to the order given by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on September 2, 2021.

Previously, upon the petition of the convict's mother , the Madurai Bench had asked the Government to consider the application already submitted by her to the State of Tamil Nadu.

The bench comprising of Justice V. Bharathidasan and Justice S. Ananthi also asked the state to pass a suitable order on her application within 6 weeks. In her application, P. Rajeswari, the mother of Ravichandran had informed the Government and the court that her son requires surgery in his right eye and that he required two months of ordinary leave.

The 30-day leave starting from the date of release from prison is subject to certain conditions to be fulfilled by P. Ravichandran.

As per the guidelines, Ravichandran will not be allowed to meet anyone other than his family members and he should not interact with the media and has been asked to stay within the premises specified in the leave petition.

The Madurai Bench has also directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide strong police escort to the convict during the leave period and to provide a daily compliance report on the same. The court has also directed him to report daily to the nearby police station.