CHENNAI: Nalini Sriharan is one of the longest serving women prisoners in the world. Accused of hosting two female suicide bombers, Suba and Dhanu from Sri Lanka, along with her husband Sriharan alias Murugan, another convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, Nalini has been languishing in Vellore jail for 25 years now.
In a recently released book, Rajiv Kolai: Maraikkapatta Unmaigalum, Priyanka-Nalini Santhippum (Rajiv assassination: Suppressed facts and Priyanka-Nalini meeting), compiled by journalist Ekalaivan, Nalini opens up on what transpired in the meeting between her and the slain prime minister’s daughter. The book includes three chapters on how Sriharan became his own counsel.
The excerpts
We were the only ‘family’ who were accused in this case. The CBI arrested six of us—my husband, mother, younger sister, brother and maternal uncle. Advocates visited other accused, but none came for us or those from Sri Lanka.
Around May 19, 1992, four of them from the Saidapet camp were added as accused in the case. Only after that did the court bother to look if we had an advocate. Two years later, we received in writing from the courts that “we can appoint an advocate for us”. Senior advocate Duraisamy agreed to be my counsel. Sriharan, however, declined to seek a counsel.
Cross-examination
An advocate, Chandrasekaran, lent two law books to my husband. He started poring over the books, sometimes over 18 hours a day. It was around the beginning of 1995, I think. First witness was Sriperumbudur Police Inspector Madhuram, the officer who had filed the FIR.
My husband got a chance only after nine advocates finished cross-examining the police inspector. He got up and prepared. There was an important thing to be cross-examined with the Inspector. Army’s Major Sabarwal, an explosives expert, had filed a report on the Sriperumbudur blast. The major in his report had mentioned that the site where the explosion happened had a ‘Tigers’ training camp, adding, “This is one of the reasons why I conclude they are behind the bombings.”
My husband’s cross-examination with Madhuram began. He asked, “Have you ever sent a report to your higher-ups about the presence of a terror organisation within your range? “No,” said the inspector.
“But there were reports that a Tigers training camp functioned in Sriperumbudur?”
The inspector said, “There is nothing of that sort. If anyone says so, it is nothing but a rumour. There is no truth to it.”
Dealing with witnesses
Badrinath, Avadi Manoharan, Prabhakaran—the CBI witnesses in the case deposed before the court that “the CBI kept us at ‘Malligai’ building for so many days and trained us on what to tell before the judge.”
The state produced another witness, Selvam. Their report claimed that my husband was staying at Selvam’s house and that police had recovered his photo ID from the home, according to Selvam’s statement.
Selvam was well prepared by the CBI. My husband began his cross-examination.
“Did you go through the list of items seized from your house and signed under it,” he asked.
“Yes”
“Did you see me at your house? Are you sure it was me?”
“Yes”
“The CBI or police, they showed a photograph of me and told to say that the man in this photograph is Murugan. Is that right,” my husband asked.
“Nothing like that sir. I have seen you in my house,” Selvam said.
“You are an illiterate. You signed under what was given
to you by the CBI. Am I right?” my husband shot the next question.
“No, I can read and write. I read and signed under it,” replied Selvam.
“You did not notice any photograph of mine in the house of yours. Did you?”
“Yes, I did not.”
In that case, you are also declining that they (police) told you to identify me from a photograph of mine?
“Yes, I decline,” Selvam said.
“Sir, but you have signed under the statement that police found a photo ID of mine in your house and that they confirmed it was me by showing the photo ID. Now, did you sign under a false statement?” My husband had him locked. Selvam was lost for words. Those in the court hall laughed.