Byculla Jail inmate murder - No injuries to private parts: inquest panchnama

Manjula Shetye

Byculla inmate Manjula Shetye did not have any injuries - old or new - in her private parts, claims the inquest panchnama conducted into the Byculla jail inmate's custodial death. This is in direct contradiction to the FIR lodged in the case, in which witnesses provided graphic details of how Manjula was allegedly assaulted brutally by jail officials.

While the results of the post-mortem are yet to be released, as per section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973, an inquest panchnama must be prepared when any person dies due to the result of crime or under suspicious circumstances.

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The result this panchnama, conducted by a magistrate, has been submitted to the State Women's Rights Commission.

The commission's chairperson, Dr Vijaya Rahatkar, said, "DIG (prisons) Swathi Sathe presented a detailed report before the commission on the incident. The report also mentioned action taken against the jail personnel. Apart from this, the commission also received an inquest panchnama by the magistrate, which states that the prisoner had no old or new injuries on her private parts."

Earlier, JJ Hospital officials had said that Shetye's body had multiple contusions all over, including on her scalp, along with pulmonary edema. This preliminary medical examination had not mentioned about injuries on her private parts.

The women's right commission members have visited Byculla jail and have also ordered inquiry in the matter by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising a retired high court judge, retired police officer and social workers. In addition, the commission has also sought a report within 15 days from the prisons department on the present living conditions in various prisons across the state.