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Date fixed for hanging Rajiv Gandhi's assassins

The designated Terrorist and Disruptive (Prevention) Act court on Friday fixed November 5 for hanging the four convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Nalini, her husband Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan are currently lodged at the central prison in Vellore.

Judge S S P Darwesh fixed the date while communicating to the prison authorities the Supreme Court's confirmation of the death sentence on October 8.

However, Deputy Inspector General of Police (prisons) Vijaya Narayanan said the four would not be hanged on November 5, as the fixing of the date was only part of the procedure. The convicts would file clemency petitions to the President of India pleading to set aside the black warrant, and the prison authorities would have to await the outcome before going ahead, he said.

The prison authorities would automatically stay the court order for seven days. Later, it would be stayed by a government order, he said.

"Until the mercy petitions are disposed of, the accused will not be hanged," Narayanan said.

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