Rajiv case convict Nalini seeks leave extension by a month

Nalini Sriharan, one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and now on one month parole, has petitioned the Tamil Nadu government seeking extension of her leave by one more month.

"Nalini has petitioned the Home Secretary to extend her leave by a month in connection with preparations for her daughter's wedding," her legal adviser P Pugazhenthi told PTI on Tuesday.

Early last month, the Madras High Court had granted her one month leave after she argued her plea in person and on July 25 she was relesed from the Vellore Prison.

The petition was sent to the government by Nalini on August 7 by Speed post, Pugazhenthi added.

Nalini, meanwhile, following permission from authorities, visited her husband Sriharan alias Murugan in the Vellore Central Prison on Tuesday to discuss about the wedding of their daughter Haridhra.

As per the parole condition, she is staying in Vellore.

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

During the hearing of Nalini's plea, Public Prosecutor A Natarajan had submitted in the court that the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules 1982 provides for a maximum period of 30 days as ordinary leave (parole) for a convict at a point of time and hence, the court can consider granting leave within the maximum limit.

The court in its order had noted that Rule 22 speaks about extension of 30 days' leave, but can be exercised only after the initial grant.

It ordered Nalini not to give any interviews and not to meet any political person or member of any organisation while out on parole and recorded her undertaking to this effect.