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Law ministry's opinion sought on clemency petitions

The Union home ministry has sought the law ministry's opinion on granting clemency to Nalini and three other convicts sentenced to death in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Official sources said the process of examining the matter has been initiated. It is a very sensitive issue and the authorities are looking closely into all the questions raised in the mercy petitions, a senior home ministry official said today.

The official could not say when an opinion would be formally sent to the President as desired by him. There is no timeframe set for this.

President K R Narayanan had sought the home ministry's opinion on the clemency petitions of Nalini, her husband Murugan and two others, Santhan and Perarivalan.

Rashtrapati Bhawan sources reiterated that the President would act on the government's advice.

The matter is also being reconsidered by Tamil Nadu Governor M Fathima Beevi following today's Madras high court order setting aside her earlier rejection of the four prisoners' petitions.

This, however, will not come in the way of the home ministry taking a decision on the presidential reference, official sources said.

UNI

ALSO SEE: President urged not to grant clemency to Nalini
Sonia pleads with President to spare Nalini
Rajiv's killers don't deserve any mercy: V K Ramamurthy
NDA opposes clemency appeal: Karunanidhi
On Death Row

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