Nalini and two other convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case were released from prisons in Tamil Nadu on Saturday after the Supreme Court ordered their release on Friday.
The prison officials set into motion the process of releasing all six of them including four Sri Lankan nationals, following the receipt of the Supreme Court's Friday order copy setting them at liberty. Among the convicts, Nalini's husband V.Sriharan alias Murugan, Santhan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar are Sri Lankan nationals while Nalini and R.P. Ravichandran belong to Tamil Nadu.
The Apex Court, in its order releasing the six convicts, said they are released based on the criteria laid down for Perarivalan in its May 18 order. In 1999, when 19 others in the case were released, the foreign nationals went to Europe and settled there.
In a historic verdict, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered the release of the six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
Earlier in the day, with relief writ large on her face, Nalini on parole for a month was escorted by the police to sign at the Katpadi police station. Late in the afternoon, she was taken to the Vellore prison to complete the formalities pertaining to her release. Similarly, the Supreme Court's order copies were sent to the Puzhal and Madurai central prisons where the remaining persons have been lodged.
(With inputs from PTI)
