No re-probe into Rajiv assassination case: HC

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Thursday dismissed a petition that sought a reinvestigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Madurai-based advocate V Santhakumaresan filed the petition in May, 2013 to save convicts T Sudenthendraraja alias Santhan, V Sriharan alias Murugan and A G Perarivalan from the gallows.It may be recalled that the Supreme Court commuted the convicts' death sentence to life term in February, 2014.
During the hearing of the plea, the petitioner's counsel W Peter Ramesh Kumar said CBI officer K Ragothaman had given an interview to a Tamil channel stating that video clippings and recorded tapes relating to the assassination case had not been handed over to the special investigation team.
He also cited the Jain Commission report, which raised suspicion over the role of godman Chandraswami in the assassination. He said the godman and some other important people were not investigated.
After hearing the concerned sides, the division bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and justice S Manikumar dismissed the petition saying the matter could not be heard at the high court.
As far as the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case was concerned, the Supreme Court has discussed in detail. And hence, the high court lacks jurisdiction to hear such case. If the petitioner needs, he can file the case before the Supreme Court, the bench said.