Mumbai, June 28 (PTI): A special CBI court today allowed Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to lodge a complaint against Byculla prison officials after she alleged that she was beaten up and threatened with sexual assault for protesting the death of a convict.

Indrani, who has been booked for rioting in the women's prison here along with around 200 other inmates, was today produced in the court after she moved an application yesterday alleging that she was roughed up by jail officials during a protest over the death of prisoner Manju Govind Shette, 45.

Manju had allegedly been beaten up by prison staff and a stick inserted into her private parts.

Special CBI judge J.C. Jagdale today said Indrani, the estranged wife of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, be taken to Nagpada police station to file her complaint.

Indrani told the court that she was threatened and assaulted after she said she would record a statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC, which unlike a police statement is admissible in court.

Indrani said she had witnessed the "assault" on Manju.

She claimed that when she first enquired about Manju's health, she was told that she was fine but later she learnt that she had died. The Mumbai police crime branch has taken over the probe into the death, sources said.

Recalling the events on the day of the protest, Indrani alleged that the jail superintendent had ordered a lathicharge after turning off the lights. "I was hit on the hands and legs.... I can barely walk," she said. According to Indrani, the jail superintendent told her: "You want to be a witness? We will see you."

Funds freeze

The UK has frozen foreign accounts allegedly belonging to Peter and Indrani Mukerjea in connection with a money laundering and corruption probe against them.