Rajiv’s assassin Nalini moves court for early release
April 12th, 2010 - 11:10 pm ICT by IANS
Chennai, April 12 (IANS) Nalini Sriharan, serving life sentence for assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Monday moved the Madras High Court against a Tamil Nadu government decision to reject her appeal for early release.
The Madras High Court April 6 dismissed her appeal for premature release, basing the ruling on the state government’s decision to accept the report of prison advisory board to turn down her request.
The board, headed by the Vellore district collector, listed eight counts not to free Nalini, including her reported refusal to apologise for Gandhi’s murder in 1991.
A woman suicide bomber from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealem detonated explosives strapped to her body while pretending to touch Gandhi’s feet at a rally in Sriperambudoor.
According to investigators, Nalini was part of the team of conspirators that killed Gandhi for sending the Indian Army to Sri Lanka in 1987.
Originally, Nalini was convicted on 16 counts of murder and given death penalty.
Later, at the intervention of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the slain former prime minister’s widow, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
In September last year, Nalini filed a petition saying she was entitled for release in 2005 itself as she had completed 14 years in jail.
After her arrest, Nalini had married LTTE activist known by his nom de guerre Murugan. He is also in prison for Gandhi’s murder. They have a grown up daughter now.
In March last year, Priyanka Vadra, daughter of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi, visited Nalini in the prison. Nalini also cited the meeting while asking for her release.
- Mobile phone seized from Nalini's cell - Apr 20, 2010
- Nalini plans to appeal in apex court against decision - Mar 30, 2010
- Action mulled against Nalini - Apr 23, 2010
- Madras High Court dismisses Nalini's plea for release - Apr 06, 2010
- Tamil Nadu rejects Nalini's plea for release (Lead) - Mar 29, 2010
- Tamil Nadu rejects Nalini's plea for release (Second Lead) - Mar 29, 2010
- Nalini shifted from Vellore to Chennai prison - Jun 28, 2010
- Rajiv killer Nalini's 'A' class prison facilities restored - Mar 15, 2012
- Rajiv Gandhi killing convict couple meet in Vellore jail - Sep 10, 2011
- Gandhi accused Nalini breaks down - Sep 07, 2011
- Nalini made calls to England, Sri Lanka (Lead) - Apr 23, 2010
- Nalini fears threat to life, probe ordered - May 13, 2010
- Madars HC adjourns Nalini release case hearing - Feb 10, 2010
- Tamil Nadu Government to take decision on Nalini's release within two weeks - Mar 11, 2010
- Rajiv Gandhi's assassin Nalini may be set free after 19 years - Jan 21, 2010
Tags: assassin, congress president sonia gandhi, conspirators, death penalty, explosives, former prime minister, government decision, indian army, liberation tigers, life imprisonment, life sentence, madras high court, murugan, nalini, premature release, rajiv and sonia gandhi, rajiv gandhi, state government, tamil nadu government, woman suicide bomber