Indrani Mukerjea is currently lodged at the Byculla women's prison in Mumbai following her arrest in August 2015. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran/File) A sessions court on Tuesday rejected the anticipatory bail application of Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea in connection with a case of rioting filed against her and over 30 others at Byculla jail after the death of inmate Manjula Shetye in 2017.
Mukerjea had moved the plea last month after the Mumbai Police filed a chargesheet earlier this year in the case – five years after the alleged incident.
Her plea said that the allegations made in the chargesheet were vague about the specific roles of each accused. It also said that Mukerjea was a victim of the assault herself by jail staffers for seeking an inquiry into the death of Shetye.
Shetye, who was serving life imprisonment, died following alleged assault by six prison staffers, including a jailor. The inmates had then demanded that a judicial officer conduct an inquiry and an FIR be registered against the staffers.
Mukerjea’s plea said that the the inmates had not indulged in violence, as was alleged in the initial FIR that was filed at the behest of prison staffers.
While the initial FIR of rioting was registered at Nagpada police station, it was transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch. The other charges against the inmates included criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation and damage to public property.
A separate FIR was also registered against the six staffers on charges, including murder. They are currently facing trial.
Before Mukerjea, a 23-year-old was granted anticipatory bail in August. The court said that the investigating officer had not mentioned a single ground to arrest or interrogate her in custody.
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