Fear for my life in Byculla jail, says Mukerjea

Mumbai: Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in 2012 Sheena Bora murder case, on Monday told a court that she fears for her life in the Byculla women’s jail.

According to her, she did not eat or drink on April 6 because she fasts on Fridays and she had a bowl of lentils after returning to jail. After that, she started feeling drowsy, so she was given a medicine and she fell unconscious in the night.

After Indrani’s lawyers Sudeep Pasbola and Gunjan Mangala concluded cross-examining third witness Kajal Sharma for the day and the court adjourned the hearing, Indrani went to the witness box and told special judge J.C. Jagdale that she fears a threat to her life.

“I fear for my life. On April 6 after coming out of jail I did not meet or speak to anybody except my lawyers and I did not eat or drink anything till I returned to jail because I fast of every Friday,” Indrani said. “My body search was taken before I was allowed entry into the prison. I entered the jail at around 4:40pm and at around 5:20pm I was given daal (lentils) to consume,” she said.

“After consuming daal I started feeling drowsy. So I took a bath. I was given a medicine around 7pm and after having the medicine I was feeling uneasy and fell unconscious.”

Indrani also complained to the judge that she was given a heavy dose of ‘benzodiazepine’ despite the fact that after consuming the drug she fell ill in the past too. “This has happened to me twice and I can’t deal with it for the third time. I am looking over my shoulder thinking what is going to happen to me next,” said Indrani.