Counsel alleges Nalini’s harassment by Tamil Nadu prison authorities - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassin Nalini Sriharan’s counsel M. Radhakrishnan has claimed that his client was harassed by prison authorities. Nalini is serving her life term at the Vellore Central Prison in Tamil Nadu. Addressing the media here on Saturday evening, Radhakrishnan sought jail transfer for Nalini. Recently, Nalini was accused of using a mobile and flushing it in the toilet when authorities conducted a routine check. She was then put under scanner by authorities following the incident. "She never committed any offence as reported in the press, she totally denied all allegations levelled against her and (that) are appearing in press. I talked to her in detail, so nothing has happened as reported in the press,” Radhakrishnan said. “She made a complaint in the interest of the prison administration and in order to save themselves they are doing this…she is interested in getting transfer to Puzhal central prison from Vellore Jail," he added. Radhakrishnan claimed that Nalini has been facing the harassment from authorities from long time. "She has been facing the harassment for long. Ultimately she made a complaint to the Additional Director General of Prison urging him to intervene personally to stop harassment so that the prison officials shouldn't harass her because her clothes were torned by them, the food articles were not sent and visitors were abused," he said. The 44-year old Nalini had sought premature release under the general amnesty scheme this month but her petition was rejected by a division bench of Madras High Court in Chennai. Nalini had mentioned in her plea that she was entitled for release in 2005 since she had completed 14 years in jail. Earlier in 2007 the Tamil Nadu Government had rejected her application for premature release.