Daijiworld Media Network

New Delhi, Aug 26: The mercy plea of the main three convicts namely Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case was rejected by President Prathiba Patil.

The Chennai state government conveyed the message to the superintendent of Vellore prison on Thursday August 25. The rejection of the mercy plea has now got the convicts on death row since their arrest soon after the assassination on May 21, 1991 closer to execution. The Supreme Court had confirmed their death sentences in 2000 and it took the President 11 years to decide on their mercy petitions.

The hanging will reportedly take place on the seventh working day after the handing over of the order to the prisoners.

Home secretary Rameshram Misra in his letter to the jail superintendent said, “I am directed to enclose the copy of the letter cited for necessary action. A report of the action taken may please be sent to the government early.”

It is learnt that the jail authorities would hand over the letter to the imprisoned convicts on Friday August 26.

All eyes are now on chief minister Jayalalithaa and her response to the pleas. Rights activists and the convicts’ families are likely to move the high court on Friday.