Another Byculla inmate wants to depose against prison staff
Nearly a week after Indrani Mukherjea came forward to claim that she was witness to the brutal assault on convict Manjula Shetye, another prisoner lodged in the women’s wing of Byculla jail has petitioned the court saying she too has seen the prison staff beating up the victim and would like be a witness in the case.
The matter came to light on Sunday when the Crime Branch produced the five prison staff, including super Manisha Pokharkar, arrested for the death of inmate Manjula Shetye on Saturday, before the Holiday Court. The magistrate remanded them to police custody till July 7.
During the course of the proceedings, advocate Ravi Kotian moved an application on behalf of an under-trial lodged in Byculla jail. The prisoner (name withheld on request) seeking the court’s permission to record her statement before the investigating team.
Kotian told Free Press Journal, “I have moved the application as my client wants to get her statements recorded by the investigating team.” According to the advocate, his client, an accused in a cheating case, has witnessed the brutal assault on Shetye and other prisoners. “My client has seen how these lady guards had beaten Shetye. She told me that Shetye was seriously injured.”
Kotian’s client has also confirmed the charges made by Indrani Mukherjea that she made in the court last week. “My client has told me that after Shetye’s death, the jail superintendent had ordered the lights to be switched off, after which all inmates were assaulted in an inhuman manner,” the advocate said, adding, “The only intention of my client is to get justice for Shetye, who was killed by the jail authorities.”
The magistrate has taken Kotian’s application on record and is likely to hear the petition on Monday.