NEW DELHI, India: The President has decided not to give permission for the prosecution of Rajiv Gandhi according to Kuldip Nayyar. This should set at rest speculation on the subject. The Prime Minister and his men who have been worried must be greatly relieved. The rumor that President might permit the prosecution has turned out to be false. What has been reportedly weighed with the President is advice of legal pundits that he consulted. They are believed to have told him that the charges against the Prime Minister in the petition for permission for the prosecution are not backed by concrete evidence and on the basis of the material produced no prima facie case could be made out.
The President has consulted among others Y.V. Chandrachud, former Chief Justice of India and Ashoka Sen, former Law Minister and had wanted to consult P.N. Bhagwate a former Chief Justice of India but the latter was not available in Delhi. It is said that inspite of reminder by the President neither the Prime Minister nor his Secretaries gave any reply to various allegations made in various petitions for prosecuting Rajiv Gandhi.
The President is said to be of the view that it is imperative that the allegations made in the petition should be replied by the government.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 24, 1987
