Indrani Mukerjea (File) Former media executive Indrani Mukerjea was on Wednesday granted bail in connection to a case lodged following rioting in Byculla jail in 2017.
Mukerjea, who has not arrested in the case till date, had received summons last year after a chargesheet was filed by the Mumbai Police. She is currently in custody facing trial for the alleged murder of her daughter Sheena Bora in 2012.
The additional metropolitan magistrate’s court permitted Mukerjea to execute a personal bond of Rs 15,000, along with other conditions, including not making any inducement, threat or promise to anyone connected to the case. Mukerjea’s plea was filed through lawyer Sana Raees Khan.
In 2017, a case on charges of criminal conspiracy, rioting and criminal intimidation was registered against Mukerjea and over 30 inmates from Byculla jail following the death of convict Manjula Shetye. The inmates had said that they had protested to demand an inquiry into the death of Shetye, alleging that she had been assaulted by prison staff. The Mumbai Police filed a chargesheet in the case last year, following which the court had issued summons to the accused to remain present during hearing.
“During investigation, the accused was not arrested. The investigating officer has filed a chargesheet. It means that custodial interrogation of the accused is not warranted,” the court said, allowing Mukerjea’s plea for release.
Khan had argued that Mukerjea was not arrested during the probe and came to know of the FIR against her only after she received summons last August. Mukerjea had also filed an anticipatory bail plea in the case, which was rejected on ground of non-maintainability.
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