‘It is not possible to meet Gandhi family’… after release from jail, Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict Nalini Sriharan

Vellore: Nalini Sriharan, one of the six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, thanked the Tamil Nadu and central governments for “helping” her during her 32-year sentence and said she wanted to be with her family. Sriharan, who has served the longest life sentence in the country, was released from Vellore jail on Saturday following a Supreme Court order on Friday in which the apex court convicted all six convicts, including RP Ravichandran. Told to be free.

On coming out of jail, he thanked the people of Tamil Nadu and said that they supported me for 32 years. Talking to ANI, Nalini spoke about her future plans. She said, ‘I want to be with my family. All my family members have been waiting for so long. I want to thank the state and central government. He helped us a lot during this period. When asked if she would meet the Gandhi family after her release, Nalini said she was not planning to do so.

‘Wherever my husband goes I will go’

Nalini said, ‘Wherever my husband goes, I will go there. We were apart for 32 years. Our family kept waiting for us. I am not planning to meet the Gandhi family. Case is going on. There is no chance of meeting him. I thank the state government for granting me parole. That’s why I could go to the Supreme Court and tried my level best. Commenting on the order passed by a two-judge bench of Justices BR Gavai and BV Nagarathna keeping in view the good conduct of the convicts, Nalini said the judges have studied our cases and they know “what is wrong and what is wrong”. What is right.’

Besides Nalini, the other convicts in the case are Ravichandran, Robert Payas, Jayakumar, S Raja and Sriharan. Ravichandran, one of the six convicts in the assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi, was released from the Madurai Central Jail. On May 18, the Supreme Court had exercised its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to release AG Perarivalan, one of the 7 convicts in the murder case. Nalini and Ravichandran had approached the apex court seeking AG Perarivalan-like release. The Tamil Nadu government, while recommending the premature release of the convicts, said that their 2018 aid and advice on their life imprisonment is binding on the governor.

MK Stalin welcomes SC’s decision

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to release six convicts, including Nalini Sriharan, in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Stalin said in a tweet on Friday, ‘I welcome the Supreme Court’s decision on the release of six people. This decision of the Supreme Court is proof that the decisions of the government elected by the people should not be obstructed by the appointed governors. Nalini Sriharan and 5 others were serving life imprisonment for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 by a female suicide bomber of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) group during a public rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. 7 convicts were sentenced to death for their role in the murder. They included Nalini Sriharan, RP Ravichandran, Jayakumar, Santhan, Murugan, Robert Payas and AG Perarivalan. In the year 2000, the sentence of Nalini Sriharan was reduced to life imprisonment. Later in the year 2014, the sentence of the other 6 convicts was also reduced to life imprisonment. In the same year, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa had recommended the release of all 7 convicts in the case.

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Tags: Assassination, Rajiv Gandhi, Tamil Nadu news