Nalini Sriharan (55) and her husband Murugan (52), the two convicts serving life sentences in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case have gone on indefinite hunger strike in Vellore Central prison demanding their early release, five months after the Tamil Nadu cabinet recommended their release. The cabinet has also appealed to the Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to release the other five convicts in the case - Perarivalan, Santhan, Robert Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran.
According to P Pugazhendhi who is Nalini lawyer, the husband and wife duo have started an indefinite hunger strike as the TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit has not responded to the Cabinet resolution passed last September recommending the release of seven convicts. "While Nalini started her protest inside the special prison for women in Vellore on Saturday, her husband Murugan launched his hunger strike protest on February 2",Pugazhendhi said. The lawyer had said that Murugan had been drinking only water since February 2. On February 8 when the lawyer met him, Murugan had even stopped taking water. The prison staff could not be contacted for comments on Nalini and Murugan health but Pugazhendhi said they had requested the duo to end their fast.
Nalini had also written a letter to the Governor on Saturday seeking justice. Pugazhendhi also said that they would file a petition in the Madras high court seeking a direction to the Governor to take action on the Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolution.
Last August, when Perarivalan approached the Supreme Court for release, the Union Government had declined to release the seven accused saying that it would set a wrong example. The Tamil Nadu cabinet had passed a resolution in September last year urging the Governor to release the seven convicts under Article 161 of the Constitution.