Mumbai: The crime branch has submitted a charge sheet at the magistrate court in connection with the June 23 murder of Byculla women’s prison inmate, Manju Shetye, naming six prison officials for allegedly assaulting Shetye, leading to her death. The officials have not been charged for sexually assaulting Shetye, as was earlier alleged.
According to the police, the 990-page chargesheet features 182 witnesses, including 90 witnesses from related prisons. A crime branch official told The Asian Age that a statement given by Indrani Mukerjea, main accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, in connection with Shetye’s death, has also been attached with the submitted charge-sheet and that she is included as one of the witnesses. The six accused have been booked for murder, destruction of evidence, criminal intimidation, and common intention. The official told this newspaper that sexual assault on the deceased Shetye has been ruled out. The official further said that CCTV footage would be filed later. The charge-sheet was filed at 4pm on Tuesday. According to the prosecution, the law requires that the first charge-sheet is filed within 90 days of the accused’s arrest but the crime branch has filed it two days before completion of the said period.
R.S. Aradhey, magistrate of the 37th court, said that he was taking the charge-sheet as presented and it would be registered after being verified by the judicial clerk of the court. Meanwhile, further hearing of the bail plea of all six accused has been adjourned to October 6.
Convicted in the murder of her in-laws, Shetye was undergoing her sentence in Byculla jail. Due to her good behaviour, she was made warden of the prison. On June 23, the prison officers and staff had allegedly beaten her. After her death, 200 prison inmates had staged a protest against the prison officials.
