Nalini can’t be released: TN

(August 30, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The State Government Thursday told the Madras High Court that Nalini, Jayakumar and Robert Bayas, who are convicted for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, cannot be released from prison.

The Counsel for the government informed the court that it was a policy decision taken by the State.

Nalini had moved the High Court after her plea seeking release on the ground of good conduct and having completed over 17 years in jail was rejected by the Tamilnadu Government.

Initially, Nalini was sentenced to death along with her husband Sriharan alias Murugan and two others. The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.

After that Nalini sought premature release from the life imprisonment.

Justice Nagamuthu, hearing the case, had ordered the State government to file its reply.

Consequently, a plea was filed on behalf of the State Home Secretary and Additional DGP, Prisons today. The State government said that it had taken a policy decision not to release those involved in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

‘As per Criminal Act Sec 435, the State cannot interfere in cases investigated by the CBI,’ the government said. Petitions seeking the release of Nalini and three others had earlier been rejected by the State government’s Consultative Committee.

The government had dismissed the plea for release taking in to account the observations of the Consultative Committee that they were involved in the well planned andheinous murder of Rajiv Gandhi and sympathising for the cause of banned terror organisation like the LTTE .

The petition also contended that a total of 545 days has been reduced from the life term sentence granted to Nalini for her ghood conduct in the prison. Also the decision to reduce the jail term for those who had spent over 20 years in prison cannot be considered for Nalini due to administrative reasons.

Referring to a court order dismissing the plea for release of Nathuram Godse, the petition reitereated that the trio should not be released.

Since the Central government sought more time to file its reply in the case, the case has been adjourned to 17 September. - Sri Lanka Guardian