The Tamil Nadu government today accepted the Prision Advisory Board’s recommendation to reject Rajiv Gandhi’s assassin – Nalini Sriharan’s plea for a premature release. The Government also conveyed its decision on plea of Nalini to the Madras High Court.
The Prision Advisory Board today came up with eight counts as to why she should not be released.
This surprise move comes just days after the state government had submitted the Prison Advisory Board's report on the same to the Madras High Court and sought two weeks time to gather additional information on her.
A Prison Advisory Board, which had been set up to look into Nalini's pleas for pre-mature release, had earlier given a positive recommendation. Sources had told TIMES NOW that there were several reasons why the board prefers an early release for Nalini.
The probation officer in Nalini's jail has said she has displayed good conduct. The board has also taken into consideration the fact that Nalini has already served 19 years in jail. It has also taken a sympathetic view that Nalini has a girl child and that her husband Murugan is facing the gallows in the same case.
Nalini's death penalty was commuted to life by the state government in April, 2000 after the then Governor allowed her clemency petition. Nalini had filed a petition in the Madras High Court asking for the Tamil Nadu government to convene the advisory board to consider her case for release from the jail.
In her petition, Nalini had said that she was entitled for release in 2005 itself as she had completed 14 years in jail. In 2007, the state government had rejected her application for release and she had then filed a case in the Madras High Court in 2008.
Nalini had been convicted on 16 counts of murder, and found guilty under Section 302 of Indian Penal Code on all 16 counts. She has also been convicted under Section 3 of TADA and Section 120-B of IPC, dealing with conspiracy.
Nalini was one of the accomplices in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and had accompanied the other assassins to Sriperumbudur. She is the wife of a LTTE member Murugan, who is also in jail facing death sentence. Nalini has been in prison for the last 19 years and has sent several petitions seeking premature release. (TIMES NOW)