Indrani Mukerjea claims 'assault' in Byculla jail; court gives nod to file complaint

Indrani Mukerjea/ ANI Image

Mumbai: A day after Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea moved an application against Byculla Prison officials over allegedly beating her and threatening her of sexual assault after she raised her voice against death of a woman victim, a special CBI court on Wednesday allowed her to file her complaint. Indrani, who has been booked for rioting in the women's prison here along with other inmates, was produced in court after she moved an application alleging that she was roughed up by jail officials when inmates protested the death of a 45-year-old woman prisoner Manju Govind Shette. Special CBI judge J C Jagdale on Wednesday said that Indrani be first taken for a medical examination and later to the police station (Nagpada) to file her complaint. On Tuesday, the CBI court, which is hearing the Sheena murder case, had directed prison authorities to produce Indrani before it. Narrating the incident, Indrani told the court that she was threatened and assaulted after she said that she will give a statement (in connection with the case) to a magistrate under the provisions of section 164 CRPC, which unlike a police statement is admissible in court. Indrani also said that she had witnessed the woman prisoner being allegedly assaulted. She said that when she first inquired about Shette's health (prior to her death), she was told that she was fine but later she learnt that she passed away. Indrani said that after a case was registered into Shette's death, she came forward as a witness in the case, and told the jail officials that she is ready to become one. Recalling the events on the day of the protest, she alleged that the superintendent had ordered a laticharge after turning the lights off in the jail. She charged that even male officials in the jail resorted to cane charge on the inmates. "I was hit on the hand and legs... I can barely walk," she alleged and added that the superintendent told her 'tu witness banne ja rahi hai.... tereko bhi dekh lenge'. She said the superintendent threatened her, saying "We will do the same thing that we did to Shette". According to the application filed by Indrani's lawyer Gunjan Mangla on Tuesday, when she went to meet Indrani, the latter told her that she was beaten up by jail officials after the death of Shette. "She showed me her bruise marks and injuries which were very prominent on her hands, legs and head," the lawyer claimed in the application. Indrani had also informed Gunjan that she was verbally abused by jail officials and the superintendent and was threatened of sexual assault for protesting against the death in jail. (With agency inputs)