Chennai: Asserting that she was not aware of the bid to assassinate former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, S. Nalini, who was released from prison last evening following a Supreme Court order, Sunday explained about her meeting with Prayanka Gandhi Vadra in Vellore Central prison in 2008.
Talking to reporters here, Nalini, who was one of the seven life convicts in the case, said she was very sad about the killing of Rajiv Gandhi.
Nalini said she would like to meet the family members of Rajiv, but was reluctant to meet them, though she was not aware that the former Prime Minister was killed.
On Priyanka’s meeting with her in Vellore prison in 2008, Nalini said she became emotional and wept.
“Priyanka asked about the killing of her father and I told her what I knew”, she said, while refusing to divulge what other things they had discussed during the meeting.
To a question, Nalini said she was yet to decide on whether to settle in Chennai or stay with her daughter in London.
She said, “At present I have nothing in Vellore and would be moving to Trichy as my husband was taken to the Special Camp so that I can meet him and talk to him”.
She said her daughter was yearning to meet her father Murugan, who was also released from prison last evening, and that she has to first get a passport for him as early as possible.
“My husband Murugan did not have a passport. The first thing is to get a passport for him as early as possible so that he can visit London to meet our daughter”, Nalini said, adding, she wished to lead a normal life following her release from prison.
Meanwhile, apart from Nalini, the remaining five convicts, viz.,Murugan, R.P.Ravichandran, Robert Payas, Santhan and Jayakumar were also released from their respective prisons late last evening after the copies of the Apex Court order were furnished and after completing all legal formalities.
Nalini and Ravichandran, who were on parole (Ordinary leave) were called and freed later after completing the formalities.
While Nalini was released from Special Prison for Women in Vellore, Murugam and Santhan walked out free from the Vellore Central Prison, Rober Payas and Jayakumar from Chennai Puzhal Central prison and
Ravichandran from Madurai Central prison.
The other convict A.G.Perarivalan was released in May this year after the Supreme Court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution..
The court invoked the same provision to the remaining six other convicts and ordered their release forthwith.
Before leaving the prison, authorities also handed them the cash they had earned by working in prison.
Later, Murugan, Santhan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar, who were Sri Lankan Nationals, were escorted to the Special Camp (Foreigners Detention Centre) in Tiruchirapalli.
