The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu government to file a counter to a petition by Nalini, life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, seeking a direction to prison authorities to provide her 'A' class facility enjoyed by her earlier.
In her petition, she prayed for a direction to the Superintendent of Police of the Special Prison for Women in Vellore to provide the facility immediately. She was provided 'A' class facility following a designated court's order on September 3, 2009 based on her educational qualification (MA), which she enjoyed until June 28, 2010, when she was transferred to Special Prison for Women in Puzhal near here.
She alleged she was not provided 'A' class facility both in Puzhal prison and Vellore jail, where she has been lodged since September 7 this year. Justices Elipe Dharma Rao and M. Venugopal directed the government to file the counter and posted the case after vacation on October 11.
Nalini's husband Murugan's clemency petition along with two other convicts awarded death sentence in the Rajiv assassination case were recently rejected by President Pratibha Patil.
On August 30, the Madras High Court stayed the execution of the trio scheduled for September 9 for eight weeks while the same day Tamil Nadu assembly adopted a ‘unanimous’ resolution seeking clemency for them.