Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday granted one-month parole to Nalini Sriharan, serving life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, after she argued her plea in person for seeking the relief to make arrangements for her daughter’s wedding.
A division bench of Justice MM Sundaresh and Justice M Nirmal Kumar also directed the Tamil Nadu government to finalise the process for her release within ten days. It ordered Nalini not to give any interviews and not to meet any political person while out on parole.
The government lawyer appearing for Tamil Nadu submitted that laws governing suspension of prison sentences provides for 30 days as maximum ordinary leave for a convict.
"Therefore, the court can consider granting of leave within the maximum limit prescribed under the Rule. Though the Rule speaks about extension of the eligibility, the same can only be exercised after the intial grant," the order said.
The court took cognizance of the recommendations made by the State Government for the premature release of the petitioner.
"From that, we can infer that her conduct is otherwise not adverse. If, in view of the State Government, the petitioner can be allowed to lesd a normal life and she would not be a hindrance to the society otherwise, the request for leave can never be objected,which is also not the case before us," the order copy stated.
Nalini in her petition said she would not be in a position to pay for police security. The court said it finds merit in the petitioner's submission and directed Tamil Nadu to provide an escort free of cost. It also directed Nalini to furnish sureties and the address of the place where she would stay.
Nalini was brought to the court amid tight security in compliance with the June 25 order of the bench granting her permission to appear in person and argue on her petition.
Nalini, lodged in the Special Prison for Women in Vellore for the last over 27 years, had sought six months leave to make arrangements for the marriage of her daughter.
Besides Nalini, six others, including her husband Murugan, a Sri Lankan national, are serving life imprisonment in the case related to the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by an LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally at Sriperumpudur near here on May 21, 1991.
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