Sathe had floated WhatsApp group seeking support for prison staff accused of assaulting and killing inmate Manjula Shetye
A day after it emerged that Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Prisons Swati Sathe, who was conducting a departmental inquiry into the alleged murder of convict Manjula Shetye by Byculla jail staff, had sent messages on a WhatsApp group seeking support for the six arrested prison staff, and had expressed solidarity with the accused, the state government on Friday said it would probe the matter.
Minister of state for home Dr Ranjit Patil told DNA that they would "verify (the incident) and seek an explanation", from Sathe about the post on social media. "She will be given a chance to have her say," said Patil, adding that he had asked Additional Director General (Prisons) BK Upadhyay to take legal opinion.
Upadhyay ordered a fresh probe into the alleged murder of Shetye inside Byculla prison, and will be conducting an internal inquiry into the WhatsApp message fiasco. "Fresh probe into the death will be initiated, while an enquiry is being conducted on the WhatsApp message group of Maharashtra jail staff," said Upadhyay.
The prisons department's internal probe into Shetye's death has now been entrusted to Special Inspector General (Prisons) Rajvardhan Sinha.
The State Women's Commission also said that the report submitted by Sathe on Shetye's death would not be considered by it. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the commission to probe Shetye's death met prison authorities on Friday and recommended measures to prevent such incidents in jails.
"We are not considering the report which has been submitted by Sathe and, moreover, our SIT has met the prison authorities to suggest measures and preventive action to be taken regarding maintenance and welfare of the inmates," said Dr. Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson, State Women's Commission.
Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) leader and leader of opposition in the legislative council Dhananjay Munde has written a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding that Sathe be suspended from her post.
In the letter, Munde has said that it was shameful that an officer who had been tasked by the government to inquire into an inmate's murder and the issues faced by them, was herself backing and raising funds for the murder accused. No one attended to the problems of inmates in jail, he claimed.
"After the murder, on orders of Byculla Jail doctor and Jail Superintendent Indurkar, Shetye's body was sent to JJ Hospital claiming that she was still alive. Action needs to be taken on this part as well. Apart from that, the cameras in jail are also of low quality and there is a possibility of destruction of evidence by Sathe, that may pose hurdles during the investigation. Hence, a case should be registered against Sathe and thorough probe must be carried out in the matter," Munde stated in his letter.
"Asking for money from the junior officers is a kind of bribe hence the investigation should also be carried out by the Anti Corruption Bureau and Sathe should be suspended immediately," he added.
"In past cases of custodial deaths in Yerwada and Nashik jail, the Jail Superintendent, Inspector General of Prisons and Special Inspector General were suspended. Why is justice different in this case? Action should be taken immediately," Munde demanded.
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