Of the 86 Byculla Jail inmates admitted to the government-run JJ Hospital on Friday, eight including three pregnant women have been kept under observation for another day while the rest have been discharged.
While the pregnant women are in a stable condition, the doctors said it is important to observe them as under such circumstances, the chances of pre-term labour are higher.
Hospital dean Mukhund Tayade said, "Jail authority will further investigate the reason of illness."
After listening to a clinical history of the patients, the doctors conjecture that the food they ate could have been the reason for the illness.
Dr Vilas Kurude, JJ's gynaecology department, said, "In cases of pregnancy, the patient might have preterm labour pain. So we have kept the three under observation for longer than the others."
Members of the State Women's Rights Commission, who visited the hospital as well as the jail on Saturday, said they might do a surprise inspection of the prison.
