Chennai, April 30: Nalini Murugan, serving a life term after being convicted for her role in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, on Wednesday moved the Madras High Court for early release, six weeks after her meeting with Priyanka Gandhi.

Justice P Jyothimani admitted the “pre-mature release” petition in which Nalini sought freedom on the grounds of having completed nearly 17 years in jail with good conduct.

The Judge ordered that notices be issued to the Union Home Ministry, state Home Secretary and Additional

DGP (prisons) and posted further hearing on the petition to June 10.

Nalini (37) knocked at the doors of the High Court after her plea for release on the grounds of good conduct during her prison term was rejected by an advisory board in 2007. The board’s decision was also accepted by the Tamil Nadu Government.

Nalini’s lawyer S Doraiswamy said the probation officer at the Vellore central prison had recommended that Nalini be released for her good conduct and for having spent nearly 17 years in jail.

Doraiswamy said Nalini was entitled to seek “pre-mature release”. “Life term in Tamil Nadu as per the state jail manual is 20 years,” he said.

Nalini was initially sentenced to death along with her husband Murugan and two others in the case. Nalini’s capital punishment was later commuted to life following an appeal by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on humanitarian grounds after she delivered a baby girl in the Vellore prison.

Priyanka had met Nalini at the prison on March 19 created quite a flutter.