Nalini seeks early release from jail

Vellore, Apr 30: Nailini Sriharan, who is serving a life sentence for being involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, has filed a plea in the Madras High Court today, seeking early release. The plea comes weeks after her emotional meeting with Priyanka Gandhi.

S Doraisamy, who has been representing Nalini, submitted the plea and said, "It's a pure coincidence that the plea comes after the highly publicised meeting with Priyanka." Earlier on March 19, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had met Nalini at the Vellore Prison, saying that she wanted to know why her father was assassinated. Referring to the meeting, Doraiswamy said, "When Nalini broke down into tears and sought forgiveness, Priyanka held her hand and said: "Don't worry. I've already forgotten everything."

Nalini is the only surviving member of the five-member squad that was recruited to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi. A suicide bomber, Subha had carried out the attack at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991. Rajiv Gandhi and 17 others were killed on the spot.

Nalini, was originally sentenced to death, but her sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment on the intervention of Congress President Sonia Gandhi who pleaded for clemency on account of Nalini's five-year-old daughter.

Her husband, Murugan, is also sentenced to death though his clemency petition and that of two others is pending before the President.

ANI