Indrani critical, next 48 hours crucial

Mumbai: Former media magnate Indrani Mukerjea, prime accused in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case, is still critical with the next 48 hours going to be crucial for her survival, according to JJ hospital, where she was rushed on Friday from Byculla prison with suspected drug overdose.
“The next 48 hours will be critical for her,” J J Hospital Dean Dr T P Lahane told reporters today when asked if she is out of danger. “We can not say that Indrani is out of danger before the next 48 hours. 72 hours are very critical out of which 24 hours have already passed. We will be able to say only after 48 hours whether her condition has improved or not”, Lahane said.
He said “she is in a deep sleep right now but her blood pressure and pulse levels are normal. She is not on ventilator support but we are providing her with oxygen because she is not able to breath automatically,” he said.
“We did not find the drug in the gastric test. If the drug must have dissolved in the body we will come to know when we get the urine and blood sample report by tomorrow evening,” he said.
Asked if any report has emerged that she had attempted suicide in the prison yesterday where she was lodged under judicial remand, he said “we can not say anything about that for now.”
Wife of media baron Peter Mukerjea, Indrani was arrested by Khar police on August 25 for her alleged role in the murder of Sheena, her daughter from an earlier marriage, in 2012.
Sheena, 24, was allegedly kidnapped from outside National College in Bandra and strangled to death in a car by Indrani, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai.
Meanwhile, as ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, IG (Prison) began a probe, covering all angles, including possible lapses on the part of jail authorities and medical staff there.
Indrani’s lawyer also moved a local court seeking permission to meet her in the hospital and court sought a re-report on her health condition.
During the hearing, the CBI, which has taken over the investigation in the Sheena murder case, told the court the probe is at an initial stage and the gravity of the offence is very serious.
Wife of media baron Peter Mukerjea, Indrani was arrested by Khar police on August 25 for her alleged role in the murder of Sheena, her daughter from an earlier marriage, in 2012.
Sheena, 24, was allegedly kidnapped from outside National College in Bandra and strangled to death in a car by Indrani, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai.
Indrani’s lawyer moved a local court seeking permission to meet her in the hospital and the court sought a re-report on her health condition.
During the hearing, the CBI, which has taken over the investigation in the Sheena murder case, told the court the probe is at an initial stage and the gravity of the offence is very serious. Principal Home Secretary (Prisons) Vijay Satbir Singh said the probe is looking into all aspects including whether the medicines or any other toxic substance she consumed were prescribed by the doctors and if there was an overdose, how did that happen.
The probe is also looking if there was negligence or foul play and action would be taken against those found responsible, he said.
“After she regains consciousness, the statement she gives will provide vital information on how she fell unconscious and if there was a drug overdose, how did that happen. If there is an element of criminality, a case will be filed against those guilty,” Singh said.
Reports of stomach wash conducted after Indrani was brought to hospital was found negative while blood and urine samples sent to Kalina Forensic Laboratory is expected by Sunday.
She was on an anti-depression pill and a sleeping pill, he added.
In the application before the metropolitan magistrate’s court here, Indrani’s lawyer Gunjan Mangala said her client was suffering neither from epilepsy nor from depression.
The application also said that when Mangala met Indrani on September 24, the latter did not show symptoms of suicidal mental state.
The application also states that Indrani had never told her lawyer about being on any medication in the jail. She wanted to meet her and talk about her health, Mangala said. (PTI)