Death commuted to life for 3 in Gandhi killing

Rajiv Gandhi AFP FILE PHOTO

NEW DELHI, India—India’s Supreme Court has commuted the death sentences for three men convicted in the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The three were among 26 convicted of playing minor roles in the May 1991 assassination, but were the only ones left on death row after the others were released or had their sentences commuted earlier.

They denied knowing anything about the plot to kill Gandhi as he was campaigning in May 1991 for a return to the prime ministerial office.

The trio served more than 20 years in a prison in Tamil Nadu. Their lawyers have argued that executing them after such terms would amount to an unconstitutional double punishment.

The court on Tuesday commuted the sentences to life in prison.