The special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Wednesday rejected the 45-day interim bail plea of Indrani Mukerjea, one of the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.
Mukerjea is currently lodged at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, which has emerged as one of the hotspots of COVID-19 outbreak.
As several jail inmates tested positive for COVID-19, Indrani Mukherjea moved an interim bail plea.
It may be mentioned here that toward the end of June, Indrani Mukerjea had drawn the special judge’s attention about the spread of COVID-19 in the jail and expressed concern about her health condition.
The court will issue a detailed order later explaining the reasons for the cancellation of the bail plea.
In her plea, Indrani Mukherjea had stated that she has been suffering from chronic ischemic changes in her brain arteries, which require constant healthcare and monitoring.
She further referred to the minutes of the High Power Committee (HPC) of the Bombay high court (HC), which ruled that undertrials facing a murder charge, are eligible for interim bail.
However, special public prosecutor Manoj Chaladan opposed the interim bail plea.
Chaladan argued that Mukherjea is a foreign national and that she is not entitled to interim bail as per the recommendations of the HC’s HPC.
He also argued that Indrani Mukherjea is not suffering from any major ailment that could possibly put her at any risk of contracting the viral infection.
Chaladan also assured the court that jail authorities would ensure that inmates get proper healthcare facilities.