CHENNAI: Arputhammal, mother of A G Perarivalan, one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, called on governor Banwarilal Purohit at the Raj Bhavan on Monday to press for her son’s release following a Supreme Court order and the state cabinet’s recommendation.She submitted documents, including papers on SupremeCourt judge KT Thomas’ reported remarks about some “serious flaws” in the CBI investigation in the case, to the governor.Thomas had last year reportedly written to the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi requesting her to show magnanimity towards her husband’s killers and help in remission of their sentences.Arputhammal said the meeting was ‘cordial’ and the governor even suggested some corrections in her petition.‘Confident governor will approve my son’s release’Chennai: “The state government had adopted a cabinet resolution and sent thefiletoRajBhavan.You allknowthat their release is pending for his signature (of approval),” she told reporters. The AIADMK government had on September 9 recommended to Purohit the release of all the seven life convicts in the case.The cabinet had decided to release convicts V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthanthiraraja alias Santhan, Perarivalan,Jayakumar,RobertPayas,Ravichandran and Nalini, under Article 161of the Constitution which relates to the power of the governor to grant pardon and to suspend, remit and commute sentences in certain cases. Arputhammal said the meeting was ‘cordial’ and the governor went through her petition, andthatheeven suggested some corrections which were made.“So, I am confident he will soon accept the cabinet recommendation and approve my son’s release. He will respect the cabinet, Supreme Court,” she added. Before the state cabinet recommended the release of the convicts, the SupremeCourthad askedthe governor to consider the mercy petition of Perarivalan seeking remission or pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution whiledisposing of theCentre’s petition opposing the state’s 2014 decision for their release. Perarivalan was a diploma holder in electronics andcommunication engineering atthetimeof arrest in June 1991. He completed his bachelors and masters in computer applications from the Indira Gandhi National Open University while still in jail.Hewasconvictedin theRajiv Gandhi assassination case for supplying the battery which was used to detonate the bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi and 15 others, including Dhanu, the suicide bomber, at an election rally at Sriperumbudur near here on May 21,1991.

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