SC granting bail gives hope of permanent release: Arputhammal

‘There is nothing I want at this stage in life except my son’s freedom’

The Supreme Court granting bail to her son A.G. Perarivalan gave hope that he would be permanently released from prison soon, said his mother Arputhammal.

Reacting to the apex court’s decision on granting bail to Perarivalan, one of the life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the septuagenarian said her son had spent over 32 years, more than half of his life, in prison.

“I am so happy that the Supreme Court has taken into account my son’s good conduct and academic achievements while in prison. The court has also taken note of my son’s health condition. I am now hopeful that he will be released permanently,” she told The Hindu on Wednesday.

Perarivalan is presently on parole undergoing treatment amidst various restrictions on his movement, which is part of the parole conditions. Ms. Arputhammal said her son had suffered enough for over three decades in prison. “There is nothing I want at this stage in life except my son’s freedom. I am confident that justice will finally be done”, she said.

Perarivalan’s advocate K. Sivakumar said the Supreme Court had, in recent years, granted interim bail to life convicts whose mercy petitions were pending with competent authorities across the country.

“In our case, the Supreme Court on September 6, 2018, had said that Perarivalan’s mercy plea under Article 161 should be considered. Three days later, the Tamil Nadu government passed a Cabinet resolution recommending the premature release of the convict. But the Governor took a stand that he was awaiting the final report of the Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA), which is still probing the making of the belt bomb,” he said.

Perarivalan had sought permanent release through the Supreme Court since it had powers under Article 142, empowering it to pass such decree or order that is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it, Mr. Sivakumar said.