Yes, my life is under threat: Indrani Mukerjea tells journalist outside Mumbai’s JJ Hospital

Mumbai: Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora, on Wednesday said that her life is under threat. Mukerjea said this after she was discharged from Jamshetjee Jeejeebhoy hospital on Wednesday afternoon. She had taken a drug overdose on Friday and was admitted to the hospital.

Outside the JJ hospital, a journalist asked her whether her life was under threat, to which Mukerjea promptly replied ‘yes’ without saying anything further. The police then rushed her out from the hospital immediately. Mukerjea was also questioned by the journalist regarding a relative with meal in the sessions court premises on Friday. But she refused to comment anything about the relative who had accompanied her. She was quickly escorted inside the police van to return to Byculla jail.

Rajvardhan Sinha, the Inspector General of Police (Prisons), during a briefing at his office, was also surprised to know about Mukerjea’s revelation to the media. The jail authorities will be questioning Mukerjea regarding the ‘threat’ on Thursday.

Nineteen persons including jail staff, prison inmates and a team of escorts who have been escorting Mukerjea during her sessions court visits have been questioned by the Byculla jail authorities on Wednesday.

According to Sinha, “A total of ten persons including lady constables, male constables and drivers who had escorted Mukerjea for sessions court visit on Friday are being questioned. Four escorts were questioned on Wednesday. The remaining six escorts will be questioned on Thursday.”

Mukerjea’s statement is yet to recorded since Sinha had not met her after she was brought from JJ hospital to Byculla jail on Wednesday afternoon. The jail authorities are likely to record her statement on Thursday.

Also read: Mumbai: Indrani Mukerjea discharged from JJ Hospital; forensic report claims overdose of anti-depressants

“The CCTV footages inside and outside the sessions courts and inside Mukerjea’s barracks have also been scrutinised. Mukerjea had taken a meal along with a relative outside the sessions court although she has not been given the permission from the court for home meals. We have checked our medicines stock and there is nothing missing from our inventory which is given under supervision of jail doctors and jail guards and a diary entry with date, time and quantity of the medicine given is updated daily. No other unprescribed drugs have been found inside the jail. Our inquiry report will be based on the medical report submitted by JJ hospital,” added Sinha.

“The jail authorities have sought further clarification on Mukerjea’s discharge report which has been submitted to the jail superintendent of JJ hospital. We have received the discharge report of Mukerjea from the hospital. Apart from overdose of anti-depressants, high blood pressure has been mentioned in the report. We have sought a clarification about her symptoms and diagnosis of the report,” added Sinha.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report from Kalina will be directly submitted to JJ hospital. The jail authorities will be submitting the inquiry report to the court in a few days. “If there are any lapses found on the part of the jail staff or escort team, necessary action will be taken against them by the jail authorities. The local police have not approached us as yet for any questioning.”

The jail officials stated that Mukerjea had turned vegetarian recently and she has turned religious and has been fasting on certain days inside the jail. She has been focussing on yoga and fitness inside her barrack. Mukerjea has been going barefoot to the courts during all her visits these days.