Chennai: Over 28 years since she was arrested and jailed in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally in Sriperumbudur, Nalini Sriharan, the prime accused and life convict in the case, came out on a month long parole on Thursday.
The Madras High Court had earlier this month granted her 30 days’ parole to facilitate her make arrangements for the wedding of her London-based daughter, who was born in jail in 1992.
Nalini was pregnant when she and her husband Murugan, a Sri Lankan Tamil, were arrested in Chennai soon after they returned by a bus from Tirupati where they had gone to get married after a human bomb blew up Rajiv Gandhi.
Escorted by women police, Nalini emerged from the Women’s Prison in Thorapadi, about 140 kms north of Chennai, and went to a house of a Dravidian outfit functionary in Rangapuram in Vellore where she will stay during her parole period.
The court had imposed many conditions on her while granting parole, which include a bar on talking with politicians, granting interviews and participating in public functions. Nalini had argued in person her case for parole before the court.
“Her daughter will come from London once arrangements are made for her wedding,” Nalini’s lawyer Pugalendhi said. During her long incarceration, she was granted a day’s parole each when her brother got married and father died.
By Dravida Thambi
