S.Nalini, a life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has moved the Madras High Court again seeking premature release.
In her petition, filed by S.Doraisamy and V.Elangovan, she said as on date she had completed 18 years, two months and 26 days in prison. Nalini (43) said she filed a writ petition earlier against the Tamil Nadu government’s order of October 2007 rejecting her request for premature release and seeking a direction to the government to release her. In its order, the court quashed the proceedings of the Advisory Board and directed the government to reconsider her request for premature release by a validly constituted board and to submit a report to the government. On receipt of the report, the government should pass appropriate orders.
Nearly one year had lapsed after the order was passed, but the government had not reconstituted the board. The only reason for not considering her for premature release was that she was involved in the murder of Rajiv Gandhi. She had been made a scapegoat for “political reasons.” Even the victim’s daughter, Priyanka Gandhi, who came from New Delhi and met her in Vellore Prison had told her that she had forgiven her, she said.
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Under such circumstances, there could not be any specific reason to keep her inside the prison. She made several requests to the government requesting them to constitute a committee as per the High Court’s order. But no action had been taken.
She prayed the court to constitute a validly convened advisory board and to submit a report to the government and take a decision on her premature release within the prescribed time specified by court. The interim prayer was a direction to the government to release her prematurely either under Article 161 of the Constitution or under Section 433 and 433 A of Cr.P.C, pending disposal of the writ petition.