Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case -Timeline

  

Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Sriperumbudur,Chennai,TN May 21,1991

• Rajiv Gandhi got out of his car and began to walk towards the dais in Sriperumbudur where he would deliver a speech. 

• Along the way, he wasgarlanded by many well-wishers, Congress party workers and school children. 

• At 22:21 the assassin,Thenmozhi Rajaratnam a k a Dhanu, approached and greeted him. She then bent down to touch his feet and detonated an RDX explosive laden belt  tucked below her dress.

• Rajiv Gandhi, his assassin and 14 others were killed in the explosion that followed. 

• The assassination was caught on film by a local photographer, whose camera and film was found at the site though the photographer himself died in the blast.

The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case has witnessed several twists and turns during past 23 years(1991-2014)

Though all 26 accused were awarded death penalty by a TADA court near Chennai in 1998, the Supreme Court confirmed capital punishment only in the case of Murugan, Santhan (both Sri Lankan Tamils), AG Perarivalan and Nalini, wife of Murugan 

Nalini, wife of Murugan escaped the noose following a Tamil Nadu Cabinet decision and the Governor's assent to it in 2000

The clemency petitions of the other three -Murugan, Santhan (both Sri Lankan Tamils)and AG Perarivalan were rejected by the President

May 21, 1991:
Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassinated at an election rally by an LTTE suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur near Chennai.

May 20, 1992: 
Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CBI files the chargesheet in the case before the TADA Designated Court at Poonamallee.

January 28, 1998:
TADA Court awards death sentence to all 26 accused.

May 11, 1999:
Supreme Court sentences Nalini, Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan to death; commutes death sentence of three others to life; frees 19 others.

October 8, 1999: 
Dismissing their appeals, Supreme Court confirms the death sentence awarded to Nalini, Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan.

October 17, 1999:
The four death row convicts send clemency petitions to TN Governor.

October 27, 1999:
TN Governor rejects the clemency petitions.

November 25, 1999:
 Madras High Court quashes TN Governor's rejection of clemency petitions; directs the Governor to pass a fresh order after obtaining the state Cabinet's views.

April 19, 2000:
TN State Cabinet chaired by then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi decides to recommend commuting the death sentence of Nalini alone.

April 21, 2000: 
TN Governor accepts Cabinet decision to commute death sentence of Nalini.

April 28, 2000:
TN State Govt forwards clemency pleas of Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan to the President.

August 12, 2011:
 Union Home Ministry communicates to TN State Govt about President's decision to reject clemency petitions.

August 26, 2011:
 Execution of three convicts fixed for September 9, 2011.

August 30, 2011:
Tamil Nadu Assembly under AIADMK 's J Jayalalithaa adopts resolution urging the President to commute the death sentence of the three.

August 30, 2011:
Madras High Court stays execution of Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan on their plea. Petitions transferred to Supreme Court later.

May 1, 2012: 
Supreme Court says it would hear the petitions of three convicts.

February 18, 2014: 
Supreme Court commutes the death sentence on grounds of delay in disposing their mercy pleas and also says that the TN Govt may consider releasing the convicts under the powers vested with it.

February 19, 2014:
TN State Cabinet under J Jayalalithaa decides to immediately release Santhan, Murugan, Perarivalan, Nalini, Robert Pious, Jayakumar and Ravichandran; sends its decision to Centre under Section 435 CrPC.