MUMBAI: Indrani Mukerjea, prime accused in the murder case of her daughter Sheena Bora, has started responding to oral commands but continues to be in a "critical but stable" state, said doctors treating her at the JJ Hospital in Mumbai.
Indrani was rushed to JJ hospital from Byculla jail on Friday afternoon in an unconscious state after suspected drug overdose.
"Medically, she is responding to oral commands. She is a semi-conscious state, with her respiratory continuing to be of concern," said JJ Hospital dean Dr T P Lahane.
"We cannot say that she is out of danger as it will take 72 hours for the poisonous substances to be completely purged from her system," said a doctor from the hospital, adding that she is responding to her name being called.
The dean said urine tests to firmly establish the nature of substances she took in extra doses will be out only on Sunday. "A blood test performed on Friday had ruled out her opium poisoning," said Dr Lahane, adding that her Pco2 (partial pressure of carbon dioxide) is slightly raised.
It is suspected that Indrani went into depression after learning about the demise of her mother in Guwahati on Tuesday. She was prescribed anti-depressents called Mirtzapine and Etizolam in minimum doses.
"The report of gastric lavage (contents taken from her stomach) is yet to come from the forensic laboratory," said Dr Lahane.
Indrani, wife of media baron Peter Mukerjea, 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 second husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an inquiry into the incident. The probe will cover all angles, including from where she get hold of the pills, a senior official said.
