Why is Nalini denied video call to kin, asks Madras HC

CHENNAI: When other inmates of Tamil Nadu jails are permitted to make video-conference calls to their family members, why has Rajiv Gandhi assassination case life convict Nalini Sriharan been denied such a facility?
Posing this question to Tamil Nadu government, Madras high court has directed the authorities, particularly the Vellore Central Jail management, to submit their response to the court.
Tamil Nadu’s jails have clocked nearly 75,000 videocalls between inmates and their family members during the two-month Covid-19 lockdown. But India’s longest serving woman prisoner, Nalini Sriharan, is still unable to get officials’ nod to make a video call to her mother-in-law to express condolence for her father-inlaw's death earlier this month. This prompted her mother S Padma to file a habeas corpus petition.
A division bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PT Asha sought government response to this plea, on Tuesday.