DIG taken off probe for seeking support for arrested colleagues
As screenshots of her WhatsApp messages seeking ‘support’ for six jail staff arrested for the death of a Byculla jail inmate went viral, DIG (jail) Swati Sathe recused herself from the team probing the case.
According to a complainant, who is also the witness in the case, inmate Manjula Shetye was brutally assaulted by jail staff for complaining about her missing ration.
She was stripped inside the barrack and the staffers inserted lathi (stick) inside her private parts. Shetye was left in an unconscious state for a while, following which she was admitted to JJ hospital, where she was declared dead.
The messages, reportedly sent by the deputy inspector general (DIG) on a social messaging group with senior prison officials as its members, show Sathe asking the department to support their six accused sisters by contributing ₹500 and ₹1,000. In one of the messages, she blamed the media for the arrest.
Additional DG (prisons) BK Upadhyay confirmed that they were looking into the matter.
The officer was relieved by the authorities from conducting the departmental inquiry.
A top official of the prison department said they will seek legal opinion before initiating disciplinary action against the DIG. Sources said leaking of messages seemed to be the result of a fallout between jail officials.
IG Rajvardhan Sinha will conduct the inquiry.
Meanwhile, Shetye’s family has demanded action against Sathe.
“DIG Swathi Sathe should be arrested for supporting and seeking support for the six murder accused,” said Shetye’s brother Anant. “Sooner or later, people will stop trusting the police force as instead of giving justice, they are supporting their own staff members. If I get any proof that she sent out the messages, I will approach investigating officers, seeking her arrest.”
Shetye’s death triggered a violent protest by other prisoners and some 200 of them, including former media bigwig Indrani Mukerjea, were booked for rioting, assaulting and mischief with fire. The case was later transferred to the crime branch, who arrested six jail officials.