Indrani Mukerjea
Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, asked a special CBI court if CBI will be responsible for the loss of her life. Mukerjea expressed her concern during the hearing of her bail application on Tuesday.
Mukerjea, whose bail plea was rejected on two previous occasions, had moved a fresh plea last week on health grounds before Special CBI judge J C Jagdale.
Responding to an argument of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), she said, "I am innocent till proven guilty. I have served three years in jail without committing any crime. This has taken a toll on my health. Will the CBI be responsible for the loss of my life?"
Mukerjea referred to multiple medical reports and discharge applications of the state-run JJ hospital, where she underwent treatment twice last month, to describe the recent changes in her health condition.
"There has been a serious change in my health condition in the last three weeks. There are complications in my brain, which was not the case earlier. My condition has gone from hyper-tension to hypo-tension. The medical report says there are chronic changes in my brain, which are irreversible," she told the court.
Mukerjea said she was on a rigorous medication regimen, which was not the case earlier, and that she was suffering from a severe headache, black-outs and a neurological condition.
"I am in a fragile health condition...require to live a stress-free life. I need to strictly adhere to medicines to not go into a vegetative state," she said.
Mukerjea brought to the court's notice the several delays she faced in getting treatment or examined, both at a hospital and in the prison.
"I am not saying they have mala fide intentions, there are bureaucratic and procedural delays (in jails and hospitals) that I cannot afford at this stage," she told the court.
Mukerjea went on to say that her doctor had told her "she will die" if she did not come out of prison.
The CBI opposed her bail plea, claiming that there was no one to look after her outside.
Responding to the same, Mukerjea said, "The prosecution says.... they (Indrani-Peter Mukerjea) have filed a divorce application in the family court, so there is no family member to look after her (Indrani). It is my lookout as to how many caretakers and bodyguards I want to hire. Divorce is my personal matter, the prosecution should not interfere."
Countering her argument, the CBI counsel said, "We are not denying her medical condition. But the procedural delays cannot be treated as personal delay."
The agency said Mukerjea was provided treatment as and when required and was under "constant protection and watch".
"She is getting medical treatment as and when required. If there is a medical condition, which is beyond the scope of the JJ hospital, we can take the accused to a private hospital," the CBI said.
The agency said the state was looking after Mukerjea's "mental and physical health".
Arrested in August 2015, Mukerjea is facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter, Sheena, on April 24, 2012.
Her husband and former media baron Peter Mukerjea and former husband Sanjeev Khanna are co-accused in the case.
( With inputs from PTI )
