Chennai, July 25: Nalini Sriharan, one of the seven convicts in the assassination case of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was released from Vellore Jail today. This is the first time in the last 28 years she has spent behind bars that Nalini has been granted parole for a month. During the parole, Nalini is not allowed to leave Vellore. She cannot meet politicians or speak to the media.

On July 5, the Madras High Court had granted one month parole to Nalini after she argued in person her plea seeking the relief to make arrangements for her daughter Megara's wedding. She had been granted a day's parole last year to attend the funeral of her father. Nalini, who was lodged in the Special Prison for Women in Vellore, had sought six months’ leave to make arrangements for the marriage of her daughter.

"I did not fulfil my responsibilities to my father before he died. Now I've to meet my family for my daughter's wedding. I've to arrange for finances," Nalini had told the court. She is the second convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to get ordinary leave. Earlier in August, 2017, the Tamil Nadu government had granted one month parole to Perarivalan and later extended it by another one month in view of his ailing father’s condition. Nalini Sriharan Writes to Tamil Nadu CM, Asks Palaniswami ‘To Release All 7 Convicts at an Early Date’.

Perarivalan, Nalini, her husband Murugan, a Sri Lankan national, and four others are serving life imprisonment in the case related to the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi by an LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally at Sriperumpudur near here on May 21, 1991.

Nalini was initially was awarded capital punishment for her involvement in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. However, her death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Tamil Nadu government on April 24, 2000.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 25, 2019 11:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).