TN Govt says no to Nalini’s early release

Jayakumar and Robert Payas, two other convicts jailed in connection with the same crime who had appealed with Nalini, were also denied an early release due to policy decisions, administrative reasons and the gravity of the crime committed, State Counsel informed the Madras High Court on Friday, referring to a court order that dismissed a similar plea by Nathuram Godse.

Responding to the trio’s contention that the State Advisory Board was not properly constituted, the State Counsel argued on behalf of the Home Secretary and ADGP (Prisons), explaining that the Advisory Board had made an informed decision based on parameters such as their “social history” and “degree of criminality”.

Their acts also caused “grave social unrest, shock and turmoil in the psyche of every Indian,” read the Government submission.

Justice S Nagamuthu has posted the case for further hearing on September 17, by which time the Centre has to file its affidavit as per his direction. Nalini’s lawyers will also file a counter to the State Counsel’s arguments that day.

Originally awarded the death sentence, it was due to the intervention of Congress president and Rajiv Gandhi’s widow Sonia Gandhi that Nalini’s sentence was commuted to life in 1999.