- MUMBAI: Byculla jail inmate Manjula Shetye’s death was caused by assault, not an accidental fall, minister of state for home Ranjit Patil admitted when the issue was raised in both Houses on Friday. He also announced the suspension of JJ Vishwas Roke for falsely stating that Shetye’s body bore no injuries when it was brought to the hospital.
“There were 17 injury marks on her body, and there is no doubt that her death was caused by an assault by the staff. As per witness accounts, she was taken to the office of the jail authorities after which the doors and windows were closed. We have got CCTV footage,” he said.
“Shetye was beaten up and brought dead to hospital. The medical officer will be suspended and face an inquiry,” Patil said in response to queries from Ashish Shelar (BJP) in the assembly.
In the council, he said jail superintendent Chandramani Indulkar and jail officer Tanaji Gharbudve would be sent on compulsory leave.
He promised a time-bound inquiry, changes in jail manual at the earliest and action against officials who had filed false affidavits.
Opposition leader Dhananjay Munde demanded that deputy inspector-general Swati Sathe is made a co-accused as she sought to raise money for the accused officials.
Sathe had been appointed to investigate the incident. Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe demanded the suspension of Indulkar and Gharbudve, adding that they should be charged with murder. She demanded action against inspector-general (prisons) Rajvardhan Sinha. “It is not a simple case of bread and eggs. That Manisha Pokharkar should get so angry and it should result in the death of Shetye raises suspicion about the reason,” Gorhe said. She alleged that two groups of jail officials were settling scores. “Shetye was to be released soon and the fear that on being released she would tell all resulted in her murder,” Gorhe claimed. She said there should be an inquiry into Sathe’s objectionable acts on social media, and action must be taken against her if found guilty.
Patil said the government had instituted a magisterial inquiry and set up a special investigation team (SIT). Besides the State Women’s Commission, the Human Rights Commission is also probing the incident.
NCP legislator Sunil Tatkare said they were not satisfied with the government response and demanded that it keep the calling attention motion in abeyance, which the chair allowed.
