Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: Let my son live with me in my last days, says Convict's mother

Amid the reports of Tamil Nadu Governor seeking Centre's view on the state cabinet recommendation to release the seven life convicts in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case under Article 161 of the Constitution, Thillaiyampalam Maheswari, mother of Santhan, one of the life convicts, sent out letters to the President, Prime Minister, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the Governor, urging them to release her son to live with her during her last days.

In her letter to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Maheswari, a resident of Sri Lanka, thanked him for his efforts to release her son and six other convicts as per the decision taken by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. She also appealed to the President, Prime Minister and the Governor, in a separate letter, to release her son.

The state cabinet has sought the release of the seven convicts citing Article 161 of the Constitution, which empowers the governor to grant pardon and to suspend, remit or commute the sentence in certain cases.

"I am 72 years old. My son Santhan was convicted in the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi murder case and have been in the prison for 27 years. I have not met him since 1991 when he left me," she wrote. She noted that his father passed away in 2013 and she has now started to lose her eyesight slowly. "I appeal to you to understand the pain of a mother and allow my son to live with me in my last days," she said, adding that not only her son undergo the 27-year imprisonment, but her family did, too.

Her appeal has come amid reports of Governor Banwarilal Purohit forwarding the cabinet recommendation to the Union Home Ministry and seeking its view. Though the Raj Bhavan officials are tight-lipped on the issue, leaders of various political parties have condemned the Governor for seeking the Centre's view and called it as a delaying tactic.

A pro-Tamil party, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, has announced that it would "besiege Raj Bhavan" on September 26 urging the Governor to give his nod for the release of the convicts.

Tamil Nadu Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam said there was no formal communication from the Governor's office on it. DMK organising secretary and Rajya Sabha MP RS Barathi backed the release of the convicts and said he felt there was no need to take up the matter with the Centre. "In my opinion, sending the recommendation to the central government is not necessary. The Supreme Court's direction should be followed," he said. Both Congress and BJP had opposed the releasing of convicts.