The six accused, Manisha Pokharkar, Sheetal Shegaonkar, Arti Shinghane, Bindu Naykode, Surekha Kakad and Vasima Shaikh are currently in judicial custody at Thane jail. (Express Photo)
THE MUMBAI Police have opposed the bail applications filed by the six Byculla women’s jail staff who have been accused of murdering convict Manjula Shetye in June. In a reply filed on Friday to the bail application, the police opposed the plea stating that the offence is “serious”.
The police have also said that as the investigation is still in progress, granting bail to the six accused could lead to hampering of the probe. The reply states that the accused being staffers of the prison, tampering of evidence cannot be ruled out.
The accused had said in their bail application that it was not a case of murder but an accident. The application further said that Shetye’s co-inmates including the complainant in the case, Mariam Sheikh, had subsequently changed their statements. The bail application also relied on the medical report that said there were no injuries found on Shetye’s private parts, in contradiction to the witness statements claiming that a lathi had been inserted in her private parts.
The bail plea also claimed that the women inmates, including Indrani Mukerjea accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, had resorted to violence. The staffers claimed that the inmates including Mukerjea had rebelled and assaulted jail authorities.
The six accused, Manisha Pokharkar, Sheetal Shegaonkar, Arti Shinghane, Bindu Naykode, Surekha Kakad and Vasima Shaikh are currently in judicial custody at Thane jail. The court will hear arguments on the bail applications on August 16.
