Nalini Sriharan, one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case has been granted parole to organise her daughter’s wedding
Chennai: The Madras high court has granted a one-month parole to Nalini Sriharan — one of the seven accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. This in order for her to arrange for her daughter’s wedding.
Nalini had sought six-month parole only to be granted one-month with multiple conditions.
In April 2019, she had filed a habeas corpus petition in the Madras high court seeking ordinary leave for six months.
The plea read that every life convict was entitled to one month of ordinary leave after completing two years. Nalini had claimed that he had not availed the leave even once during the past 27 years that she had spent in jail.
The Madras high court had in June, allowed Nalini to argue her parole case in person and ordered the Vellore Central Prison authorities to produce her on July 5.
She had earlier been granted a 24-hour parole in March 2016 to attend her father's last rites.
On July 5, Nalini argued that she has been unable to attend to any of her daughter's need owing to her imprisonment.
Nalini’s daughter currently lives in London with her grandparents and Nalini expressed before the court that as a mother she would like to perform her duties.
The prosecution lawyer A Natarajan however, maintained that a prisoner convicted for life can only get parole of one month at a stretch.
Justices MM Sundaresh and M Nirmal Kumar who listened to both sides, then agreed that Nalini can only be given a one-month parole.
Nalini has been ordered to give information about where she will be staying and with whom. The court also conducted inquiries regarding the same.
The court has also warned Nalini against giving interviews or meeting the media or political parties.
Nalini was granted parole twice in 2016. The first to attend her father’s cremation and the second for his final rites.
Nalini, her husband Murugan and five others are serving life imprisonment for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by al LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally.
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