Rajiv Gandhi assassination case; Six defendants including Nalini were released from prison

Chennai: Nalini is involved in the case of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. All six defendants were released. Apart from Nalini, Nalini’s husband Sriharan alias Murugan who was serving a life sentence in the case, T. Sudhindra Raja alias Shanthan, Jayakumar, Jayakumar’s cousin Robert Pius, Fr. Ravichandran and others were released. The Supreme Court ordered his release making use of the special powers referred to in article 142 of the Constitution.

They were released after obtaining copies of the court order in Vellore and Puzhal prisons. After 31 years in prison, they were released on Saturday at 5pm. It is reported that Robert Payas and Jayakumar will be transferred to Trichy refugee camp. Nalini and her husband Murugan could move to London with their doctor daughter.

On May 18, another defendant in the case, AG Perariwalan was acquitted by the Supreme Court in the same department. The BR judges said the order also applied to the remaining six. Gawai, BV Nagaratna and others on the bench made that clear. The defendants have already served 30 years in prison. The court also noted that their behavior in prison was satisfactory as they studied and graduated during their time in prison. Robert Pius, Jayakumar and Sreeharan are natives of Sri Lanka.

On May 21, 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the LTTE during an election rally in Sriperumputhur, Tamil Nadu. Thenmozhi Rajaratnam of Dhanuna blew up like Chavera. Fifteen people were killed in the crash. About fifty people were injured. 26 people were charged in the case. On 28 January 1998, the TADA court in Chennai sentenced all 26 defendants to death. Justice KT The Supreme Court panel presided over by Thomas was dismissed in 1999.

The death sentences of Nalini in 2000 and of Perariwalan, Shanthan and Sriharan in 2014 were commuted to life imprisonment. The defendants, including Nalini, served their sentences in Vellore Jail in Tamil Nadu. Nalini has been on probation since December 2021. The parole was granted due to the medical condition of her mother. Parole has been extended eight times. The Tamil Nadu government had previously recommended the release of the accused.