Woman moves HC over husband’s death in jail

A 22-year-old widow, Purnalaxmi Mistry, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking justice after her husband’s death in Taloja jail last year due to lack of medical aid.

A 22-year-old widow, Purnalaxmi Mistry, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking justice after her husband’s death in Taloja jail last year due to lack of medical aid.

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The high court has issued notices to the director general of police (prisons), jailor of Taloja prison, home ministry and state government.

Mistry, who stayed in Bengal with her children, learnt of her husband’s death from inmates who were co-accused with him in a murder case only recently.

Mistry alleged that her husband was falsely implicated in the murder and died for lack of proper medical aid when he fell ill in jail.

Mistry’s husband was arrested by the Navi Mumbai police last year for allegedly murdering another labourer, Jagdish Nishad. Rahul Thakur, Mistry’s advocate, said: “Just because one of the witnesses told police that those who attacked Nishad spoke Bengali, the police arrested Mistry’s husband.” Mistry, also a labourer, has sought a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the government.