Supreme Court confirms its decision to commute death sentence of Rajiv Gandhi's assassins

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the curative petition of the Central Government upholding the commutation of death sentence of three convicts involved in the assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.

The apex Court had earlier said that it was essential for the convicts to suffer and realize the victim's pain through ' slow poison' and asked the Centre if a governor can take a decision over the mercy plea of any convict whose petition has been declined by the President.

The Supreme Court's constitution bench raised this question while hearing the matter related to former Rajiv Gandhi's assassins.

The Centre had earlier told the apex Court that the killers of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi did not deserve any mercy.

It also termed the May 1991 assassination the result of a conspiracy