Verdict on Rajiv Gandhi assassins likely today

New Delhi: The fate of the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case may be decided on Tuesday. The Madras High Court will hear their petitions to commute their capital punishment.

The court had on Aug 30 stayed the death sentence of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan.

This trio had earlier sought a stay on their execution on the ground that the President had taken 11 years in deposing their mercy pleas.

They had termed the delay as illegal and unconstitutional.

The High Court had asked the Centre and State to reply within eight weeks as to why there was such a long delay in clearing their petitions.