Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Perarivalan begins a new life as lawyer

In a remarkable shift of roles, A G Perarivalan, once sentenced to death in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has now entered the legal profession as an advocate.

At 54, he enrolled with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in Chennai in April. The moment marks a deeply personal milestone for a man who spent over three decades navigating the same justice system as an accused, a convict and later, an appellant.

Dressed in a black lawyer’s coat, Perarivalan said his years in prison and prolonged legal battles shaped his decision to study law.

“My aim is not to become a high-profile criminal lawyer,” he said. “I want to stand for prisoners who have no legal support. Many life convicts continue to wait for premature release simply because they cannot afford proper representation.”

He is expected to practise at the Madras High Court, returning to the very institution that once heard his appeals.

Perarivalan was arrested in June 1991, weeks after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a suicide bombing at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. He was among seven people convicted in the conspiracy case that followed.

For years, his conviction drew debate and concern. His family, especially his mother Arputham Ammal, led a persistent campaign seeking his release. She reached out to political leaders, courts and activists, arguing that her son had been wrongfully implicated or punished beyond proportion.

In May 2022, the Supreme Court of India ordered his release, invoking its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution and noting the extraordinary length of his incarceration. By then, his death sentence had been commuted to life imprisonment, and terrorism-related charges had been withdrawn.

After his release, Perarivalan turned to education. He enrolled at Dr B R Ambedkar Law College under the Karnataka State Law University. He completed his degree in 2025 and cleared the All India Bar Examination in the same year.

Now beginning his legal career, he says his larger goal is to push for a fairer criminal justice system. One that does not abandon convicts after sentencing and one that allows space for review and correction.

He also supports the introduction of post-conviction exoneration laws in India, similar to those followed in countries such as Australia, Japan and the United States.

For Perarivalan, the courtroom is no longer a place of defense. It is now a space to advocate, not just for himself, but for many who are still waiting to be heard.