CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Union and State governments to respond to the petition filed by Rajiv Gandhi assasination case convict Nalini seeking to release her husband Murugan from the refugee camp in Trichy.

Nalini moved the Madras High Court (MHC) seeking to direct the Union government to decide on her petition requesting the Union government to release her husband Murugan, who is a citizen of Sri Lanka, and allow him to live with her.

Without a valid passport her husband could not come out of the refugee camp in Trichy, said the petitioner.

The petition was listed before Justice N Seshasayee on Thursday. The petitioner said that her husband wants to live with his daughter who lives in London and needs to contact the Sri Lankan embassy to get a passport.

The petitioner claimed that the Union government has allowed many foreign citizens, who have been imprisoned here, to stay with their relatives on certain conditions and some have been allowed to seek asylum in other countries.

After the submission, the Justice directed the Union and State governments to respond to the petition and adjourned the case.

In November last year, the Supreme court released Nalini and Murugan, who had served more than 30 years in prison in the murder case of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.