Gandhi waskilled by an ethnic Tamil suicide bomber while campaigning in an election inthe southern Indian town of Sriperumbudur in May 1991. His killing was seen asan act of retaliation after he sent Indian peacekeepers to Sri Lanka in 1987.
Perarivalanwas convicted in 1991 of purchasing the batteries used to detonate the bombthat killed Gandhi.
In May 2021,the Tamil Nadu state government allowed Perarivalan to leave on parole, using aprovision in the Tamil Nadu Prison manual.
The SupremeCourt took a lenient view of Perarivalan, saying he was 19 years old at thetime of arrest and had been jailed for over 30 years, including 16 years ondeath row and 29 years in solitary confinement.
Six otherspeople, including a woman, are still in jail and are awaiting a verdict in thecase.
"In theabsence of any other disqualification and in the exceptional facts andcircumstances of this case, we direct that the Appellant is deemed to haveserved the sentence," the Supreme Court"s order read.
The courtsaid Perarivalan was released after considering his "satisfactory conductin jail and during parole, chronic ailments, educational qualificationsacquired during incarceration."
Gandhi"swidow, Sonia, is head of India"s main opposition Congress party while theirson, Rahul, has been leading its campaign for elections. A Congress partyspokesman said on Wednesday the party was deeply saddened by the court"sdecision.
Many in thestate of Tamil Nadu celebrated the verdict as a victory for human rights.
"Mybest wishes and warm welcome to Perarivalan who is set to fully breathe the airof liberation after more than 30 years of imprisonment," Tamil Nadu ChiefMinister M K Stalin tweeted.
