On a petition by Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Nalini Sriharan - undergoing life imprisonment - seeking her premature release, the Madras High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Government.
Hearing the petition, Justice M.M. Sundresh, ordered issuance of notices to the Tamil Nadu Home Department and the Prison authorities and posted the matter for hearing after Christmas holidays.
Nalini, serving the term in the Special Prison for women in Vellore, sought a direction to the state government to consider her October 22, 2014 representation for premature release, as she had already undergone imprisonment for more than 24 years.
She was first awarded death sentence by the trial court in 1998, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court. Subsequently, the Tamil Nadu Government under Article 161 of the Constitution commuted it to life imprisonment on April 24, 2000.