The government on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its order for the premature release of six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The Centre said the order granting remission to the convicts, who had assassinated the former prime minister, was passed without affording it an adequate opportunity for hearing despite it being a necessary party to the case.
The government highlighted the alleged procedural lapse, saying the convicts seeking remission did not formally implead the Centre as a party which resulted in its non-participation in the case.
On November 11, the top court ordered the premature release of six convicts, including Nalini Sriharan, who had hosted the assassin, noting the Tamil Nadu government had recommended remission of their sentence.
Besides Nalini, RP Ravichandran, Santhan, Murugan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar walked out of the jail following the Supreme Court order.
Nalini, the wife of V Sriharan alias Murugan, who was the first to be released, claimed her firm belief that she is innocent had kept her alive all these years.
"Otherwise, I would have ended my life. Do you think I have murdered the former Prime Minister? Seventeen murder cases have been framed against me," the 55-year-old Nalini said in her first reaction to the media after she stepped out of the special prison for women in Vellore.
Her husband Murugan -- a Sri Lankan national -- along with another convict Santhan, also from Sri Lanka, were released from the Vellore prison.
Besides them, two other Sri Lankan nationals -- Robert Payas and Jayakumar -- were released from the Puzhal prison.
All four were taken to the special refugee camp in Tiruchirappalli to be lodged there.
Earlier, another convict who was set free in May, AG Perarivalan, along with his mother Arputhammal received the duo at Puzhal prison.
The sixth convict P Ravichandran, on parole in the coastal Thoothukudi district, was brought to Madurai prison where he completed the formalities and was released.
Immediately after her release from prison, Nalini went to the Vellore central prison and became emotional upon seeing Murugan.
The Supreme Court had set free Nalini Sriharan and five other remaining convicts, who are serving a life term for about three decades in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, noting that its earlier order releasing another convict AG Perarivalan was equally applicable to them.
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.
Later, she was taken to the Vellore prison to complete the formalities related 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)
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