Indrani back to jail from hospital; ready for CBI quizzing

Former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was today discharged from J J Hospital, where she has been under treatment since Friday after falling unconscious, and shifted to Byculla Women's Prison.
J J Hospital Dean T P Lahane said Indrani was discharged from the hospital this evening and moved to the prison, where she is lodged under judicial custody since last month. The 43-year-old fell unconscious in the jail due to suspected drug overdose and rushed to the state-run medical facility five days ago.
Lahane had earlier in the day said "Indrani is fully conscious and even talking to doctors. A panel of doctors involved in her treatment will decide when to allow police authorities to record her statement," adding her vital parameters are fine and is responding to medications.

Indrani's lawyer also told a local court she has no objection to being questioned by the CBI in the jail and the hospital submitted her medical report to the court, as demanded by the latter, in a sealed-cover.
Meanwhile, a Metropolitan Magistrate's court has reserved till tomorrow its order on the CBI plea seeking permission to interrogate Indrani and the other two accused in the murder case -- her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Syhamvar Rai -- who are also under judicial custody.
Her lawyer told the court she does not have any objection to being quizzed by the CBI, which has taken over the case from the Mumbai Police.

"The order will be passed tomorrow," said R V Adone, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Esplanade Court.

Meanwhile, Vijay Satbir Singh, Principal Secretary (Appeals and Security), said since Indrani is mentally and physically fit now, her statement will be recorded either tonight or tomorrow morning to ascertain the circumstances under which she collapsed in jail.
Newly-appointed IG (Prisons) Bipin Kumar Singh is heading the probe into the episode.
"She has completely recovered now and is safe and sound. The crisis is over. It is now for the inquiry officer to record her statement at his convenience. Whatever she tells authorities will be included in the report that is to be sent to the state Home Ministry," Vijay Singh told PTI.

"We did not collect any information while she was in hospital because, though she was talking to doctors, she was drowsy and thus could have given incorrect answers that would have misled the investigation," he said.