The Supreme Court on Friday extended the parole of AG Perarivalan, serving life term for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, by one week, for medical treatment, reported PTI. Earlier, the Madras High Court had granted Perarivalan parole till November 23, according to NDTV, which was then extended by the Supreme Court.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat on Friday said that an interlocutory application has been filed by the petitioner seeking an extension of parole by 90 days on grounds of ailment and need for surgical intervention. The bench clarified that it will be the last extension of parole and directed Tamil Nadu government to provide police escort to Perarivalan for visiting the doctor.

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Appearing for Perarivalan on Friday, Senior Advocate Gopal Shankarnarayanan said the petitioner has 25% blockage in kidney and needs surgical intervention.

Advocate Balaji Srinivasan, representing Tamil Nadu, said that according to rules Perarivalan is entitled to 30 days parole every two years but has already availed 51 days over and above his entitlement. He submitted that Perarivalan wants to go to a hospital which is 200 kilometres away and not to the Christian Medical College Vellore, which is only 25 kilometres away from his house.

To this, the court directed that Perarivalan should be taken to the Vellore hospital for his needs.

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Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation had on November 20 told the Supreme Court that the Tamil Nadu governor has to take a call on grant of remission to Perarivalan.

The Tamil Nadu government’s recommendation to release all seven convicts in the 1991 assassination case, including Perarivalan, is pending with Governor Banwarilal Purohit. In January, the Supreme Court will decide on Perarivalan’s plea seeking permanent release and may even ask the governor to decide on the state government’s recommendation.