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Soon after the Supreme Court on Wednesday, 18 May, ordered the release of AG Perarivalan, one of the life convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, his mother expressed her joy at the court's decision and thanked political leaders for helping her.
Speaking to reporters, Arputhammal, Perarivalan's mother, said:
"I thank the government for granting bail for him because only then could I take care of his health. I thank Chief Minister MK Stalin. I thank all political leaders and all those people whom I don't know who lent voice to our struggle," she continued.
Perarivalan, after his release was announced, told the media that every time he failed during the last 31 years in custody, he had looked to his mother for inspiration.
"Every time I failed in the past 31 years in my struggle for freedom, I looked at my mother for inspiration. I would often feel guilty that my fight robbed my mother of her youth, energy and life. I always felt bad about how my parents were struggling. I really wanted them to see us win when they were alive. I wanted them to see that truth will prevail.
"This was not possible because of our own efforts. My mother worked extraordinarily for this and we also received a lot of support. And most importantly, we have truth by our side. This Tamil soil will always help keep the truth alive. This is why political parties and the public stood by me," Perarivalan told Puthiya Thalaimurai after his release.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, invoking powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, ordered the release of Perarivalan.
AG Perarivalan was accused of having bought two 9-volt 'Golden Power' battery cells for Sivarasan, the LTTE leader who masterminded the conspiracy. The cells were used in the bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May that year.
Perarivalan was 19 when he was arrested on 11 June 1991.
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