Nalini case: HC adjourn proceedings to Aug 20

Chennai, Aug 11: Madras High Court on Monday, Aug 11 adjourned to August 20 the hearing in the case filed by Nalini, life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, seeking early release from prison.

Mr Justice A Nagamuthu, who on August 6 had directed the Union and State Governments to file their counter on or before August 11 in the case, adjourned the proceedings after Union and State Government Counsels sought more time to file the counters. Ms Nalini had filed two writ petitions. The first one in 2006 and the second in 2008 after Mr Gandhi's daughter Priyanka met her in the Vellore Prison. Both the petitions came up for final hearing before Justice A Nagamuthu after which the Union and State Government advocates sought further time to file counter.

Following this, the Judge gave time and posted the matter for final hearing. Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, who opposed her early release, filed an impleading petition which was dismissed by the court.

Opposing the impleading petition, the State Government cited a Supreme Court order which said ''imprisonment of life lasts until the last breath of the convict'' and Nalini could not seek premature release on the ground she had already served 17 years in prison.

Nalini was awarded capital punishment in the case but secured clemency when the State Governor commuted her death sentence to life on her mercy petition, it recalled.

UNI