The Prisons Department of the State Govt. has told the Madurai Bench of the High Court of Madras that releasing Rajiv Gandhi-accused Ravichandran on parole would endanger the latter’s life.

Ravichandran and six others including Nalini, Murugan, Santhan, Robert Paes, Jayakumar and Perarivalan have been languishing in prison for more than 26 years after they were arrested and charged for the 1991 assassination of former prime-minister Rajiv Gandhi which took place at Sriperumbudur off Chennai.  They were initially awarded death sentence which was later reduced to life sentence.

All of them had served in prison many years than what a normal life sentence stipulates for prisoners. Perarivalan was granted parole recently for two months after his father fell ill. Nalini has sought parole for six months to make arrangements for her daughter’s marriage but her request hadn’t been acceded to.

Ravichandran had earlier moved the Madurai Bench of the High Court of Madras seeking parole for a month to attend to a property-related issue in Tuticorin.  While responding to Court’s direction to respond to Ravichandran’s request, the Prisons Department has filed a reply with the Court stating that Ravichandran’s life might come under threat and law and order issue may arise if he was granted parole.