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Rajiv Gandhi murder : Indian court orders release of convicts

Published

2 years ago

November 11, 2022

editor

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)

News

Cost reflective price for MPs’ daily meals proposed

Published

3 hours ago

January 23, 2025

editor

Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake said yesterday that a cost reflective price between Rs.2,500 and Rs.3,000 will be proposed for meals including breakfast, lunch and evening tea for Members of Parliament.

He stated that the proposal is scheduled to be presented to the House Keeping Committee of Parliament today and that a proposal will also be presented to the Cabinet in the future.

“MPs will have to pay Rs.3,000 for their meals including breakfast, lunch and evening tea. The price of meals for others will also be increased,” he added.

(dailynews.lk)

(This story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Probe into clearing of 323 red-tagged containers – Dy. Minister

Published

3 hours ago

January 23, 2025

editor

Deputy Minister of Economic Development – Prof.Anil Jayantha Fernando yesterday (Jan. 22) admitted in Parliament that 323 containers with red tags have been released through the green channel by the Sri Lanka Customs.

In response to a question raised, the Deputy Minister said that an investigation will be launched into the incident.

He said there have been occasions where red-tagged containers have been released after being scanned and during some occasions, containers had been released through the green channel even without being scanned.

“We never know whether there have been investigations into those incidents,” he said.

(Excerpts : dailynews.lk)

News

Suspect arrested over alleged online train tickets racket

Published

3 hours ago

January 23, 2025

editor

The Kandy Divisional Crimes Unit has arrested a 37-year-old suspect involved in an alleged major racket involving ‘e-Tickets’ sold for up-country trains including to Ella.

According to the police, the suspect was arrested yesterday (Jan. 22) in the Suduhumpola area of the Kandy Police Division.

The suspect, a resident of the same area, was found in possession of 21 ‘Odyssey’ train tickets purchased online, Rs. 130,670 in cash believed to be proceeds from the illegal sales, 130 notepads documenting previous transactions, and a mobile phone.

Police suspect the individual profited from reselling train tickets, targeting foreign tourists. The suspect has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further inquiries.

On January 20, the CID had informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that they have launched an investigation into the ticket scalping, which was raising serious concerns.

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