Byculla jail inmate death: Swati Sathe files reply in court

DIG Prisons Swati Sathe on Tuesday filed a detailed reply in Esplanade Court, Mumbai and denied all allegations made by a complainant in Manjula Shetye murder case of Byculla Prison.

Allegations had surfaced against Sathe that she had exhorted fellow jail officials on a WhatsApp group to support six arrested prison staffers in Manjula Shetye murder case.

Replying to complainant Mariyam Shaikh, Sathe stated in court:

- I do not know JJ Hospital Dean Dr Lahane personally; I was not calling him frequently during the investigation of this murder case. So no question of influencing the medical report as alleged in the complaint.

- Allegations against me that I provoked the jail staff in this case is wrong, I was just not happy with the media trial in this case against jail staff so I requested the concerned authorities to look into this matter without any bias.

- I deny the allegations that I destroyed the evidence in this case like Lathi etc.

- I did not prepare any report and not submitted that to State commission for women or any one.

For the unversed, Manju Shetye (45) was an inmate of Swati Sathe in Byculla Prison. She died on June 23 after she was assaulted and beaten up by six jail staffers when she raised questions over food stock in the jail.

Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea and others had also protested against Shetye's death.

A murder case was registered against the six prison staffers and a rioting case against the jail inmates.