HC dismisses Nalini's petition seeking premature release

Chennai, Sep 24 (UNI) Madras High Court today dismissed the petitions filed by Nalini and two other life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, seeking premature release.

Dismissing the petitions filed by Nalini, Robert Pyas and Jayakumar, Justice S Nagamuthu, directed the Tamil Nadu government to constitute the Advisory Board afresh and also suggested that the convicts could submit a fresh plea before the new Board.

He said the court could not direct the government or the prison authorities to order premature release of the convicts.

''It is for the State government to take a decision based on the report of the Advisory Board'', he observed.

Nalini, a local Tamil, was among the prime accused in the case.

She was sentenced to death by the Trial court and Supreme Court.

However, her capital punishment was commuted to life term by the Tamil Nadu government, following the intervention of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

The other two, Pyas and Jayakumar, were Sri Lankan nationals and were convicted for life by the court.

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