Maharashtra prisons dept orders inquiry into Indrani Mukerjea ‘overdose’

Doctors at the state-run JJ Hospital had also said that the police would have to investigate the circumstances that led to the suspected overdose.

The prisons department of Maharashtra has ordered a detailed inquiry into the case of possible drug overdose by Indrani Mukerjea, who was arrested in August, 2015 for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora.

Indrani Mukerjea, accused in Sheena Bora murder case being taken to sessions court, in Mumbai. (Bhushan Koyande/HT File Photo)

“A detailed inquiry into the case relating to Indrani Mukerjea’s health has been ordered and the Inspector-General of Prisons has been asked to conduct it,” Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay, additional director general of prisons, said on Monday.

Mukerjea was hospitalised at around 11:15pm on Friday after she was brought in a “semi-conscious” state to the JJ Hospital from her prison cell in Byculla Jail in south Mumbai.

Sudhir Nanandkar, dean of JJ Hospital, had said on Sunday that a basic level provisional diagnosis had pointed to a case of “drug overdose”.

Doctors at the state-run JJ Hospital had also said that the police would have to investigate the circumstances that led to the overdose since Mukerjea was orally administered medicines by prison guards.

Mukerjea is prime accused in the death of 24-year-old Sheena Bora, who was abducted and killed on April 24, 2012 allegedly over a financial dispute.

Her body was disposed of in a forest in the adjoining Raigad district, according to the police.

Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai were arrested for the crime. Rai later turned an approver (prosecution witness) in the case.