Indrani Mukerjea moves Bombay HC seeking quashing of FIR in 2017 jail rioting case
India Today
Indrani Mukerjea has moved the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of an FIR registered against her in 2017 for alleged rioting within jail premises.
A day before she walked out of the Byculla prison in Mumbai after getting bail in the Sheena Bora murder case on May 20, Indrani Mukerjea filed a petition before the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of an FIR registered against her in 2017 at the Nagpada Police Station. She was charged with rioting in jail and obstructing police in their duty.
Her plea will be heard on June 1.
The allegation against Indrani Mukerjea is of inciting a riot inside prison following the death of jail inmate Manjula Shetye in 2017. The prosecution said that Indrani along with other prisoners at Byculla jail incited inmates to shout loudly and throw plates, pots and plastic barrels on police officials. Despite officers’ repeated attempts to convince them, they did not follow orders given by the police, it was said.
The prosecution further alleged that one of the co-accused broke the prison door and smashed it to pieces, injuring prison staff.
When the jail officers attempted to stop the women prisoners, they climbed to the second floor of the barracks, it was alleged.
In her plea, Indrani Mukerjea stated that neither the copy of the FIR was given to her nor was her statement recorded in the case. She said she was not a part of the alleged attack or involved in creating any nuisance in the prison. “Bogus, general and vague allegations have been levelled against her,” stated the plea filed by advocate Sana Raees Khan on behalf of Indrani. “No overt act or specific role has been attributed to Indrani in the FIR,” it added.Indrani Mukerjea alleged that prison authorities coordinated assaults with iron rods and bamboo sticks on June 24, 2017 in Byculla Jail to suppress the illegal killing [of Shetye] at the hands of prison officials. She said she too was hit by a blunt object used by prison officials.
"On the very same day i.e. on June 24, 2017, Indrani was beaten up, verbally abused and threatened by jail officials including the then Superintendent named Indulkar if she registers a complaint against them. In order to prevent Indrani from becoming a witness in the present case and in order to prevent her from insisting on taking strict action against the illegal act of the prison officials, the present bogus FIR came to be registered against her and other jail inmates. She craves leave to refer and rely upon her Medical Report as and when produced,” the plea says.Indrani had registered a complaint on the intervening night of June 28, 2017, at Nagpada Police Station against prison authorities. Indrani Mukerjea said it was a clear case of vindication and malicious prosecution.