Jail inmate death: HC disposes of PIL that seeks CBI probe

The Bombay High Court today disposed of a public interest litigation seeking a CBI probe into the death of a woman inmate inside the Byculla prison here in June.
A division bench headed by Justice B R Gavai said the matter was transferred to the city police's crime branch, which has already investigated the case and filed a charge sheet against the accused.
"We feel that the contentions raised in the petition have been met. We need not pass any orders. If during the trial, the complainant feels that there is some lacuna, then he or she can approach the trial court," the high court said disposing of the petition filed by Thane resident Pradeep Bhalekar.

In the petition, Bhalekar claimed that since the accused persons in the case are jail officials, the case should be probed by an independent agency like the CBI.
Manju Shette (45), an inmate of the Byculla women's prison here, who was serving a life sentence, died at the government-run J J Hospital on June 23 night, sparking off a huge protest by over 200 inmates of the prison.
While the inmates alleged that she was assaulted by jail officials, the prison authorities had claimed that she died after falling in the toilet.
The crime branch later arrested six women prison officials in the case and filed the charge sheet against them.