HC asks Govt if Video Call permission can be granted on humanitarian ground to Convicts in Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case

As Tamil Nadu government was stern in disallowing Rajiv Gandhi assassination case life convicts Nalini Sriharan and her husband Sriharan alias Murugan to make video calls to the latter’s mother and sister in Sri Lanka and London respectively, the Madras high court asked the government whether it can consider the request under humanitarian grounds.

While Sriharan was not allowed to watch his father’s final rites, Nalini was not allowed to make video calls to her in-laws to express condolences.

“Leave alone law, we would like to know from the government whether they (Nalini and Sriharan/Murugan) can be permitted to make the calls on humanitarian grounds,” a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice R Hemalatha asked, directing the state public prosecutor A Natarajan to get instructions from the government.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by S Padma, mother of Nalini, seeking direction to the prison authorities to permit her daughter and her husband to make video call to her mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Murugan’s father died in Sri Lanka in April. Therefore, they wanted the authorities to permit them to make video calls to his mother and sister for at least 10 minutes daily.

When the plea came up for hearing on Friday, the prosecutor reiterated the stand of the state that the duo cannot be permitted to make calls to a foreign country.

Natarajan further suggested the court to suo motu implead the Union home ministry, as it would be the appropriate authority to take a decision.

Opposing the same, petitioner’s counsel M Radhakrishnan submitted that prisons are subject matter of the state government concerned and the Union home ministry has nothing to suggest in the issue. Recording the submissions, the bench adjourned the hearing to June 12.

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