CHENNAI, Jan 28: Following is the chronology of events relating to the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case in which the Designated Court-I passed its final verdict today.JULY 29, 1987 - Indo-Sri Lankan agreement signed.
Prabhakaran upset, but prefers silence. Reportedly told confidants that he felt `stabbed in the back' by Rajiv Gandhi.
AUG 4, 1987 - LTTE surrenders arms at Sudumalai, Jaffna. Prabhakaran says it is under pressure.
SEPT 1987 - LTTE leader Dileepan goes on fast, dies. 12 LTTE men, Pulendran, Kumarappa among them, captured at sea, handed over to Sri Lankan authorities, commit mass suicide, Indian Army blamed for their deaths.
Incident leads to hostilities between IPKF and LTTE.
JULY 5, 1989 - TULF leader Appapillai Amirthalingam assassinated by LTTE at Colombo.
JUNE 19, 1990 - EPRLF leader K Padmanabha, 13 others massacred in Chennai, hit squad escapes.
SEPT 1990 - LTTE sends an advance party of sympathisers to India to create safehouses.Vijayan (Accused no-12), his wife Selvalakshmi (Accused no-13) and her father Bhaskaran (Accused no-14) reach Indian shores.
SEPT 1990 - Second group comprising Robert Payas (A-9), his family, Jayakumar (a-10), his wife Santhi (A-11) also reach India. Later in 1990- subsequently, Sriharan alias Murugan (A-3) and others reach India, received at Kodiakkarai by local landlord Shanmugam (since deceased). Murugan gets in touch with family of Nalini (A-1), Padma (A-21) and Bhagyanathan (A-20).
Muthuraja, Indian national but LTTE member, introduces Bhagyanathan and Perarivalan alias Arivu (A-18), both DK sympathisers in touch with LTTE's political wing, to Nishanthan, LTTE intelligence man.
Senior LTTE leader Baby Subramanian funds Bhagyanathan to set up printing press here. Satanic Forces, a pamphlet cataloguing `IPKF atrocities' printed.MARCH 1991 - Elections announced in India, slated for May.
MAY 1, 1991 - Nine-member core group including Packiachandran aliasSivarasan, belt bombassassin Dhanu, Subha and others arrives by boat.Starts operations at houses rented by Vijayan, Jayakumar and Bhaskaran.
MAY 7, 1991 - Squad conducts dry run at public meeting of V P Singh in South Chennai.
MAY 9, 1991 - Subha, Dhanu write to Akila and Pottu Amman about successful dry run. (Letters later recovered from Murugan).
MAY 12, 1991 - Murugan set to leave for Jaffna, but changes mind, stays back.
MAY 21, 1991 - Dhanu, wearing a belt fitted with RDX explosives, detonates the waist bomb while pretending to touch Rajiv Gandhi's feet at Sriperumbudur at 10.20 pm. Dhanu and 17 others killed in explosion.
MAY 24, 1991 - CBI takes over investigation, SIT set up. TADA invoked in Tamil Nadu.
JUNE 6, 1991 - Shankar (A-4) held by local police, links to Rajiv case established much later.
JUNE 11, 1991 - SIT achieves first breakthrough, arrests Padma, Bhagyanathan.
JUNE 14, 1991 - Nalini, Murugan, evading arrest by constant travelling,arrested in Chennai.
JUNE 16, 1991 - Perarivalan arrested in Chennai.
JUNE 18, 1991 - Robert Payas arrested in a city suburb.
JUNE 26, 1991 - Jayakumar arrested in city.
JULY 2, 1991 - Photographer Subha Sundaram arrested.
JULY 4, 1991 - Athirai (A-7), Kanagasabapathy (A-8) held in New Delhi.
JULY 8, 1991 - Vijayan, Bhaskaran held in Chennai.
JULY 19, 1991 - Kodiakadu Shanmugam, arrested and remanded to SIT custody a few days ago, allegedly escapes from a Travellers' Bungalow at Vedaranyam, `commits suicide'.
JULY 22, 1991 - Major breakthrough, as `Chinna' Santhan (A-2) involved in Padmanabha killing, close aide of Sivarasan arrested.
AUG 19, 1991 - SIT homes in on Sivarasan at Bangalore, plans raid on house at Konanakunte, but he shoots himself, Subha, bodyguard Nehru, others swallow cyanide.
AUG 20, 1991 - NSG, SIT enter house, find all dead.
AUG 28, 1991 - Ranganath (A-26), owner of Konanakunte residence,arrested.
AUG 29, 1991 - Rangan (A-27) Sivarasan's driver held.
OCT 3, 1991 - Irumborai (A-19), DK activist, held at sea by Coast Guard, important letters seized.
OCT 13, 1991 - Dhanasekaran (A-23), DK man who transported Sivarasan, Subha in tanker lorry from city to Mettur, arrested there.
OCT 7, 1991 - Senior LTTE operative `Gundu' Santhan declared proclaimed offender by designated court.
NOV 1991 - `Gundu' Santhan commits suicide at Tiruchi when SIT surrounds a house.
MAY 20, 1992 - SIT files voluminous chargesheet against 41, including the 26 available. Report cites 1,014 witnesses, 1,180 material objects, relies on 1,477 documents.
MAY 5, 1993 - prosecution opens its case.
MAY 12, 1993 - Arguments begin on framing of charges and discharge petitions of accused.
DEC 1, 1993 - Court frames charges.
JAN 19, 1994 - Trial (witnesses' examination) begins. (288 witnesses depose).
MAY 29, 1994 - Court declaresPrabhakaran, Amman, Akila as proclaimed offenders.
JUNE 3, 1994 - India formally requests Sri Lanka for the extradition of PrabhakaranMAY 5, 1997 - Witnesses' examination concludes.
MAY 14, 1997 to JUNE 25, 1997 - Questioning of accused by court
JULY 21, 1997 to AUG 11, 1997 - prosecution's final arguments.
AUG 14, 1997 TO NOV 5, 1997
- Defence arguments, verdict reserved.
JANUARY 28, 1998 - Judgement delivered, all 26 accused found guilty.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
