A Mumbai court on Wednesday permitted Indrani Mukerjea to approach police to lodge a complaint against the Byculla prison officials, days after inmate Manjula Shette died allegedly due to torture.
Ms. Mukerjea, accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora and lodged in the prison, on June 27, 2017 alleged that she was beaten up and threatened with sexual assault by jail officials.
The application filed by Ms. Mukerjea’s advocate before the CBI court said, “An incident occurred on June 24, 2017 in Byculla prison wherein an inmate named Manjula Shetya was killed. Today I have visited the Byculla prison I was informed that she [Indrani] was beaten up pursuant to the said killing by the Superintendent and the Byculla jail officials. She showed me her bruise marks and injuries, which were very prominent on her hands, legs and head. Further she informed that she was verbally abused by the jail officials and the Superintendent and was threatened of sexual assault for protesting against the cold-blooded murder in custody. She further requested me to bring the said incident to court’s attention and request her production as she wants to lodge a complaint against the jail officials. She further informed that several inmates want to give their statements against the jail officials who were involved in the incident.”
Ms. Mukerjea is among the 200 inmates who have been booked for rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant among other charges under the IPC.
She has already recorded her statement before the investigating team about the incident where Shette was allegedly thrashed and a baton was inserted into her private parts and is believed to have died later of the injuries inflicted on her.
Shette was arrested in Bhandup in 2004 for the murder of her sister-in-law and transferred to Byculla jail from Yerwada Central Prison in Pune around two months ago. Her assault by prison guards on June 23 led to a riot by inmates that continued through the night and subsided only the next day. The inmates set newspapers and furniture on fire and shouted slogans from the rooftop.
Doctors at J.J. Hospital finished the post mortem of Shette and said, “Death occurred due to injuries and pulmonary oedema. There are multiple contusions all over the body, including the scalp. The prisons department has suspended six staffers at the prison and initiated an inquiry into the incident.”
Taking note of her complaint, the CBI court, which is hearing the Sheena murder case, directed the prison authorities to produce Ms. Mukherjea before it on June 28, 2017.
(With inputs from PTI)
