Rajiv case convict Nalini back in jail after parole ends

Nalini Sriharan, one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, surrendered at a prison here on Sunday, after being out of the jail for 52 days on ordinary leave granted by the Madras High Court.

Nalini, who was granted parole in connection with the preparation of her daughter's marriage, surrendered before the prison authorities here, her legal adviser, P Pugazhenthi, told PTI.

On July 25, she was released from the prison on a 30-day parole and later she petitioned the Madras High Court again which extended her leave in August by three more weeks.

Days ago, the High Court had declined to entertain her plea for one more extension of her leave.

During her parole period, she had also petitioned the Tamil Nadu government seeking extension.

In early July, the Madras High Court had granted her one month leave after she argued her plea in person.

Lodged in the Special Prison for Women in Vellore for over 27 years, she had originally sought a six-month leave to make arrangements for her daughter's marriage.

Her present parole that extended to 52 days is the longest she had ever been out of prison since 1991.

In 2016, when Nalini's father, P Sankara Narayanan, died, she was granted emergency leave for 12 hours to participate in the funeral and later, allowed one day to take part in the 16th day of post-death rituals.

In 2004, she was allowed to attend the wedding of her brother, Bhagyanathan.

The 12-point conditions of her parole included a bar on her from interacting with the media, political parties or personalities and an undertaking to keep good conduct and not disrupt public peace.