Nalini moves HC seeking to quash charges framed against her

One of the main accused in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case S Nalini, whose death sentence was commuted to life, today moved the Madras High Court seeking to quash the charges framed against her, in a case of keeping a cellphone in the prison cell.

Nalini, who is presently in the special prison for women at Vellore, was charged with keeping a cell phone in her possession, a prohibited article and for preventing officials from discharging their duties and attempting to hide the article.

During a search conducted by the Superintendent of Special Prison for Women at Vellore, Nalini was found to have been in possession of a cell phone, on which a case was registered by the Inspector of Police, Bagayam Police Station, Vellore, on the complaint of the Prison Superintendent.

The case was adjourned to August 30 by the Vellore Judicial Magistrate for the purpose of cross examination.

Nalini had filed a criminal original petition in the Madras High Court seeking to quash the charges against her on the ground that she was already awarded with a major punishment for the above offence by reducing the class of her cell in the prison from high to low.

Hence, she cannot be tried for the same offence by giving a complaint to police authorities by prison officials and the charges framed against her was without jurisdiction, she contended.