JUDGMENT

(Prayer: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to implement the State's release decision of the petitioner namely Ravi @ Ravichandran (C.P.No.4967) who has undergone nearly 29 years of actual imprisonment and 37 years of imprisonment including remission forthwith or within the reasonable time fixed by this Court.)

Common Order:

Munishwar Nath Bhandari, CJ.

This writ petition has been filed to direct the respondents to implement the State's decision to release the petitioner.

2. The petitioner is a convict in the criminal case registered for the assassination of Mr.Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, on the night of 21.5.1991 along with 15 others, including 9 police personnel. During the course of occurrence, 43 persons suffered grievous or simple injuries. The petitioner and other accused were sentenced to death by the Presiding Judge, Designated Court No.1, Poonamallee (Additional City Civil and Sessions Court, Chennai), by order dated 28.1.1998.

3. By judgment dated 11.5.1999 in Death Reference Case No.1 of 1998 along with Criminal Appeal Nos.321 to 325 of 1998 [State v. Nalini and other