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Rajiv Gandhi murder : Indian court orders release of convicts

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The Indian Supreme Court has ordered the release of six people convicted for the 1991 assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The order came after two convicts – S Nalini and RP Ravichandran – sought premature release from prison.

They filed their petition after the top court freed AG Perarivalan, another convict in the case, in May.

All seven convicts were serving life sentences and had spent more than 30 years in jail.

In its order on Friday, the Supreme Court said the conduct of the prisoners during this time had been “satisfactory”.

Gandhi’s murder in May 1991 was seen as retaliation by Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebel group for India’s involvement in the island nation’s civil war after Delhi sent peacekeepers there in 1987 when he was prime minister.

The Congress party, of which Gandhi was the leader, criticised the court’s decision to free the convicts.

“The decision of the Supreme Court to free the killers is totally unacceptable and completely erroneous. The Congress party finds it wholly untenable,” party spokesman Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.

“It is most unfortunate that the Supreme Court has not acted in consonance with the spirit of India on this issue,” he added.

The convicts, whose release was ordered on Friday, were among 25 people initially sentenced to death in 1998 by a trial court.

The top court upheld the conviction of only seven of them. Four of the convicts – Perarivalan, S Nalini, Santhan and Sriharan – received the death penalty while three others were awarded life sentences. The remaining were cleared of all charges and freed.

Nalini’s death sentence was commuted in 2000 following a clemency petition by Gandhi’s widow Sonia Gandhi who had pointed out that the prisoner was pregnant at the time.

(BBC News)

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Designated driver wasn’t at wheel during Dunhida bus crash

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Investigations into the tragic bus accident in the Dunhida area, along the Badulla–Mahiyanganaya main road, have revealed that the designated driver wasn’t at the wheel at the time of the crash.

According to the Police, the person at the wheel had initially volunteered to move the bus parked near the Muthiyangana Temple in the absence of the actual driver. 

When the official driver later arrived, he had allowed this individual to continue driving the bus.

Police also say that the individual at the wheel also possesses a valid driving license.

The accident, which occurred on June 21, had claimed the lives of 03 persons and injured 31 others.

The bus was reportedly transporting a group from Thambuttegama, Anuradhapura, on a pilgrimage to Kumbalwela.

(Pic : Accident1st)

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Deshabandu to testify before investigative committee today

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Suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon is scheduled to testify before the committee appointed to inquire into allegations of misconduct and gross abuse of power of his office today (June 23).

The committee, tasked with probing these allegations, is set to convene today at 9.30 a.m. at the Parliament complex.

The committee will continue hearings from today until Wednesday (June 25) during which 15 witnesses from the IGP’s side are expected to testify. The committee will then meet again on Thursday, June 26 at 2:00 p.m. to continue proceedings.

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Parliament to allocate rest area for MPs’ drivers

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The Parliamentary House Committee has discussed the need to provide a temporary resting area for drivers of Parliamentarians during parliamentary sittings.

Parliamentary sources stated that arrangements will be made to allocate a suitable location for this purpose in the future.

(Source: Lankadeepa)

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