Was beaten up: Indrani Mukerjea

Mumbai: The special CBI court has directed the Byculla women’s prison authorities to produce  Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, before it on June 28.

Mukerjea alleged in an application that officials of jail, including the superintendent, verbally abused her after riots broke out in the prison — where she is lodged — on Friday, following the alleged murder of inmate Manju Shetye by women officials.

She also claimed she was threatened with sexual assault for protesting the ‘killing’. After Shetye’s demise, most inmates went to the jail’s terrace and started raising slogans against jail officials. The police tried to bring the situation under control but the inmates had broken chairs and set them afire. The state government has initiated inquiry into the killing.

Mukerjea — in her application, which was moved by her lawyer Gunjan Mangla on Tuesday — said she wanted to come before the court and lodge an FIR against the jail officials and that there were other inmates who also wanted to give statements against the jail authorities.

Mr Mangla informed the court that two FIRs had been registered in the case: One against the jail officers and the other against Mukerjea and other inmates. A charge of rioting has been slapped against the inmates and Mukerjea is being made ‘accused number one’, she said.

She added, “Today I was not allowed to meet Mukerjea, but I met her eventually. She told me that she had been assaulted by jail superintendent and other officials.  I saw bruises and injuries on her head, hand and leg.”  

Initially the court, which was not convinced with the arguments made by Ms Mangla, said, “We will hear her (Mukerjea) when her regular custody ends.” But Ms Mangla replied, “Mukerjea is under the custody of the court, and she should be heard immediately. Her next production date is July 4, which is far away.”

The court directed the jail officials to produce Mukerjea on June 28.