Manjula Shetye murder case: Accused seeks permission to undergo IVF treatment

Mumbai: Sheetal Shegaokar, one of the six jail staff members arrested for allegedly killing Manjula Shetye, an inmate of Byculla jail, has approached the sessions court seeking permission to undergo in vitro fertilisation (IVF) at a private hospital

Mumbai: Sheetal Shegaokar, one of the six jail staff members arrested for allegedly killing Manjula Shetye, an inmate of Byculla jail, has approached the sessions court seeking permission to undergo in vitro fertilisation (IVF) at a private hospital.

HT Image

The court has asked the prosecution to file a say on her plea and posted the matter for further hearing on February 9. Shegaokar was arrested in July 2017.

On Monday, during the course of hearing, she moved an application seeking permission from the court to allow her to conceive through IVF.

Her lawyer, advocate Nitin Sejpal said that she herself has made the plea fearing that with passing of age, she might not be able to conceive and give birth.

“They are in prison for more than five years and her age is advancing. Her husband wants to have a child. Besides, there is no likelihood that the trial will get over soon. Nor has she been granted bail. In these circumstances, she has pleaded the court to allow her to conceive a through IVF,” said Sejpal.

Previously, in September 2021, Manisha Pokharkar, a key accused in the case, had sought interim bail with an intention to conceive a child, claiming that her in-laws and her husband wanted a child from her and therefore, she be released on interim bail for a few days.

The court had rejected her plea, observing that if the accused was released on bail, then there was every possibility that she will abscond and not return to face the trial.

According to the prosecution case, Pokharkar, Bindu Naikade, Waseema Shaikh, Shegaonkar, Surekha Gulve and Aarti Shingne bashed up Shetye resulting in her death. The incident occurred on the morning of June 23, 2017. The incident came to light at around 5.30pm when she was found unconscious in the bathroom. The police had registered an offence on June 25, 2017.