After Perarivalan, convict Nalini seeks bail in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case
India Today
Nalini, another convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has now sought bail. The Supreme Court had recently released Perarivalan, her fellow convict in the assassination case.
S Nalini, one of the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has moved a bail petition in Madras High Court after another convict, AG Perarivalan, was granted bail after spending over 30 years in prison.
Her petition sought bail on grounds that the Supreme Court had released fellow convict Perarivalan on bail recently. Nalini is one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. In 2018, the state cabinet recommended the release of Nalini and her fellow convicts but the file is pending with the Governor.
READ | Rajiv Gandhi assassination: SC grants bail to convict AG Perarivalan
Madras High Court Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, while hearing the case, asked the petitioner which legal provision empowers high courts to grant bail to convicts. The court also asked Nalini as to which law was sought for the bail.
The bench added that the apex court order is supreme and said Nalini can approach the Supreme Court for her bail.
M Radhakrishnan, who is Nalini's counsel, informed the court that there's a Supreme Court judgment that said convicts can be granted bail, pending mercy petition. The counsel was asked to produce the SC verdict that he sought and the case has been further adjourned to Thursday.
In its May 1999 order, the Supreme Court had upheld the death sentence of four convicts -- Perarivalan, Murugan, Santham and Nalini.
