The Supreme Court today ruled the release of Nalini Sriharan and RP Ravichandran along with four other convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Nalini, Santhan, Murugan, AG Perarivalan, Robert Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran were sentenced to life terms and spent over 23 years in jail in connection with the case.

Last month, the Tamil Nadu government had asked  the premature release of Sriharan and Ravichandran, saying its 2018 aid and advice for remission of their life sentence is binding upon the governor.

Both Nalini and Ravichandran have been on ordinary leave (parole) from December 27, 2021 till date as sanctioned by the Tamil Nadu government under the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982 then and there based on their request.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to release Perarivalan.

The order today came on the basis of the replies submitted to the top court which it had asked the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government on September 26 to submit them on a plea filed by Sriharan and Ravichandran seeking premature release.