Mumbai: Eyewitness statements recorded by the Mumbai crime branch in its probe related to the alleged murder of Byculla Women’s Prison inmate Manju Shetye on June 23 revealed that contrary to allegations against her, she had never ordered other inmates to do chores for her like washing her clothes or giving her a head massage. The inmates were doing it voluntarily after seeing her being regularly harassed by the six jail officials who have been charged with her murder by the police, they said. The eyewitness accounts are part of the chargesheet against the six suspended jail officials submitted in a court by the crime branch recently.
Saiduinisa Ansari, who gave Shetye a head massage, said in her statement that the accused jailer Manisha Pokharkar and her accomplice had slapped her for the favour and alleged that the women were lesbians. Shetye had died due to the inhuman beating by the jailer and five women police. The crime branch recently filed a 990-page chargesheet in the case. The accused had earlier claimed that Shetye used to order other inmates to do her chores but eyewitness said they did them because accused use to kept the deceased busy day and night which left her completely drained.
Eyewitness Ranjana Rathod stated in her statement that other wardens, Amruta Mathew and Varsha Nair, were jealous about Shetye and used to complaint against her to Pokharkar and Bindu Naikade, another accused.
“Pokharkar and her accomplice kept assigning work to Shetye and never gave her time to bathe and wash her clothes. After working the whole day, the accused ordered Shetye to do night patrolling at jail. Therefore, Shetye asked other inmates to wash her sari,” said Rathod.
Another eyewitness, Saidulnisa Ansari, who resided with Shetye in the same barracks, said that while beating Shetye, Pokharkar had called her and asked why she had massaged her and applied oil on her head. Ansari said she also demanded an explanation on the nature of their relationship.
She further stated she had seen Shetye was punched and kneed.
