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In Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison, former crime reporter Jigna Vora tells her own story of prison, court hearings and her years covering crime. She was arrested in connection with the 2011 murder of journalist Jyotirmoy “J Dey” Dey, received bail in 2012 and was acquitted in 2018. Her arrest was not a finding of guilt.
What Vora’s memoir covers
Published by Penguin Random House India in September 2019, Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison is a first-person account of Vora’s time in prison, the court proceedings and her work as a crime reporter. The publisher describes it as her own account; excerpts show her recalling the barracks and the practical details of daily prison life.
One passage captures the plainness of that experience: “On my aluminium plate, I had two chapattis, dal and some vegetables.” The detail is from an excerpt published by Scroll, and conveys the memoir’s attention to ordinary routines as well as the larger legal ordeal.
How the J Dey case unfolded for Vora
J Dey, a senior journalist, was shot dead near his Mumbai residence on 11 June 2011. Investigators later alleged that Vora had instigated Chhota Rajan against Dey; this was an allegation, not an established account of her guilt.
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- 25 November 2011: Vora was arrested in connection with the murder case.
- 27 July 2012: She was granted bail.
- 2 May 2018: A special court convicted Chhota Rajan and other defendants, while acquitting Vora and Paulson Joseph.
The publisher summarizes Vora as having been acquitted of all charges seven years after her arrest. That distinction matters when reading a memoir shaped by accusation and imprisonment: the book recounts her experience, while the court outcome was an acquittal.
What the excerpts reveal about the book’s perspective
The book’s first-person perspective brings the story down from headlines and hearings to the experience of living through them. A Penguin-published excerpt recounts Vora describing a conversation with another inmate: “Sadhvi Pragya told me that the article was about a witness recording a statement under Section 164 of the Cr.PC (Criminal Procedure Code) against me.” This is Vora’s reported account in the excerpt, not an independently verified statement by Pragya Thakur.
Such passages are useful for understanding how Vora presents her time in custody and the information circulating around her case. They should be read as memoir, not as a substitute for the court record or independent reporting on the murder.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Book details and screen adaptation
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title and author | Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison, by Jigna Vora |
| Paperback | 264 pages; published September 2019 |
| ISBN | 9780143446910 |
| Other format | The publisher page lists an ebook option |
The Netflix series Scoop is an adaptation-related point of interest: the publisher refers to the popular show, and the Indian Express reports it was based on Vora’s story and book. A dramatization offers a screen interpretation; it is distinct from Vora’s memoir and from the court record. Current streaming availability is not established here.
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