HC dismisses Nalini's plea on premature release

The Madras High Court dismissed on Thursday Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Nalini Sriharan's plea seeking direction to the state to press the governor to decide on its recommendation for premature release of all the seven people, including her, serving a life term in the case.

A division bench of Justice R Subbaiah and Justice C Saravanan, while dismissing the petition, said in its order, "Already the council of ministers recommended to the governor for premature release of Nalini and six others... while so, issuing a mandamus directing them to consider her representation does not arise."

Nalini had filed the petition on the basis of a resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu government on September 9, 2018, recommending to the governor premature release of all the seven convicts.

The Cabinet had recommended to the governor the release of Nalini, her husband Sriharan alias Murugan, Perarivalan, Robert Payas, Jayakumar, Ravichandran and Santhan.

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber on May 21, 1991, during an election rally near Sriperumbudur.