A G Perarivalan, one of the life convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case who was released on remission in 2022, has enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. He now plans to practice at the Madras High Court with a focus on legal aid for prisoners and criminal justice reforms.

Perarivalan (54) donned the black robes on April 27 and was formally inducted into the bar association on Monday.

Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari attended the enrolment ceremony.

Chairman of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry P S Amalraj and vice chairman S Prabakaran were also present.

Advocate C K Chandrasekkar moved the enrolment motion, while chairman of the enrolment committee K Balu administered the oath.

Perarivalan was arrested in 1991 when he was 19 years old, allegedly for supplying a 9-volt battery for an explosive device linked to the assassination plot.

The Supreme Court had ordered the release of Perarivalan on May 18, 2022, invoking powers under Article 142, after he spent 31 years in prison in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

During his incarceration, he studied law at Dr B R Ambedkar Law College, Bengaluru, completed his degree and passed the All-India Bar Examination in 2025.

Perarivalan said his long drawn legal battle had inspired him to study law in order to assist others "wrongly confined" and would focus on criminal justice and post-conviction reforms.