Six cops to be tried for Shetye's murder'

Mumbai: Six women police officers, who were arrested in connection with the custodial death of Byculla prison inmate Manjula Shetye in June last year, will be prosecuted for murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence. The accused have denied the charges.

A sessions court on Tuesday framed charges against the accused - constables Bindu Naikade, Waseema Shaikh, Shital Shegaonkar, Surekha Gulve and Aarti Shingne, and jailer Manisha Pokharkar - who were arrested on July 1.

After the probe, the crime branch had to file the chargesheet within 90 days of the date of their arrest.

Addressing the accused, additional sessions judge Shayana Patil said, "You accused had beaten her up with elbows and knees. In addition to that, you also did not provide medical treatment to her, due to which she died. The prosecution alleged that you also formed a conspiracy to kill."

The judge informed the accused that they would be prosecuted under sections 302, 120-B, 201 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code.

One of the accused told the court that she was a trainee when the incident had occurred. The judge, however, said she would listen to her when the trial commences. The court then kept the hearing on July 3.

The officials allegedly assaulted Shetye, a life convict, on June 23, 2017, after she raised complaints about police officers providing inmates fewer eggs and bread. The police recorded the complaint of an inmate, who was an eyewitness, on June 25.

On September 26, the chargesheet was filed against the accused. It ran into around 990 pages and included the statements of around 187 witnesses and Shetye's medical reports. Most of the witnesses cited in the chargesheet are the jail inmates including Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, and other jail staff, who were in the prison on the day of the alleged murder. Apart from this, the agency also cited doctors and investigating officers along with Shetye's family members as witnesses in the case.