Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict Nalini Sriharan released from jail after 31 years

Six convicts in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi were acquitted by the Supreme Court after serving 31 years in prison. A day later, the three accused, Nalini Sriharan, her husband Murugan and Santhan were released from Vellore jail on Saturday evening after completing formalities. Nalini also marked her attendance at a local police station in the morning as per the parole conditions. The Supreme Court had in May exercised its powers to acquit the seventh convict, Perarivalan. The court said that the same order applies to the rest of the convicts as well.

The court also noted that the Tamil Nadu cabinet had recommended the release of the convicts to the governor in 2018 and the governor was bound by it.

Apart from Nalini, Sriharan, Santhan, Murugan, Robert Payas and RP Ravichandran were jailed for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. The Supreme Court said that the convicts had 'behaved satisfactorily', obtained degrees, written books and also participated in social service.

Nalini Sriharan's brother Bakianathan said that the convicts have already spent three decades in jail and have suffered a lot. Bakianathan told NDTV, "He has been released on humanitarian grounds, those who oppose his release should respect the laws of India."At the same time, the Congress has strongly opposed the order of the Supreme Court to release the killers of Rajiv Gandhi.