TN govt appoints panel to look into Nalini's charges

The committee headed by DIG of Prisons (Coimbatore) Govindarajan would also go into her other charges, including harassment by jail officials at the high-security Vellore Women's Prison, where she is lodged. Announcing this in the Assembly, Law Minister Durai Murugan said the committee, which would also comprise a woman prison official, was expected to submit its report soon.

"Nalini has petitioned officials regarding some grievances and made some allegations. The committee was formed early this month following her complaints and grievances. This committee will verify the charges and submit a report soon," he said in response to a query by C Gnasekaran (Congress).

Nalini had recently written to ADGP (Prisons) K R Shyamsundar alleging her life was under threat and complained of assault by prison authorities. She also claimed attempts were being made to poison her food. In a separate letter to him, she also alleged her cell had not been cleaned for days and expressed fears of officials 'planting' something there to recover it, apparently hinting at the recovery of a mobile phone from her cell last month.

On May 10, the government had informed the state assembly that she had made calls to foreign countries, including Sri Lanka and Britain, from a mobile phone seized from her cell. Tamil Nadu Government had rejected the plea of Nalini and three other convicts in the case for premature release based on a report by the prison advisory board. Later, her plea for release under general amnesty was also turned down by the Madras High Court.