In a significant legal development, the Bombay High Court has overturned a special court’s order that had permitted Indrani Mukerjea, the former media executive accused of murdering her daughter Sheena Bora, to travel abroad. This decision comes as a response to a petition filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which argued that Mukerjea is currently facing trial for serious charges, raising concerns about the possibility of her fleeing the country.
Justice Shyam Chandak, presiding over the case, quashed the special court’s order, stating, “The petition is allowed. The impugned order is set aside.” The special CBI court had previously granted Mukerjea permission to travel to Europe, specifically Spain and the UK, for a duration of ten days within a three-month timeframe. She had claimed that her travel was necessary to update bank-related documents following her divorce from former media executive Peter Mukerjea.
Justice Chandak emphasized that if Mukerjea required assistance for her bank-related work, the relevant statutory authority should facilitate this process while she remains in India. The judge clarified that the court’s decision does not comment on the merits of the case, but rather highlights that the special court’s initial order was not reasonable and, therefore, unsustainable.
The special court had imposed certain conditions for Mukerjea’s travel, including a requirement to visit the Indian Embassy or its affiliated diplomatic missions at least once during her trip and to obtain an attendance certificate. Additionally, she was directed to furnish a security deposit of ₹2 lakh.
Indrani Mukerjea was arrested in August 2015 after the shocking murder of Sheena Bora, which came to light following the arrest of her then-driver, Shyamvar Rai, in a separate case. Bora, aged 24 at the time of her death in April 2012, was allegedly strangled in a car by Mukerjea, Rai, and her former husband, Sanjeev Khanna. Following her murder, Bora’s body was disposed of in a forest in Raigad district.
Mukerjea was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May 2022 after spending several years in custody. The case continues to attract significant media attention, as it involves a complex web of relationships and allegations surrounding the circumstances of Sheena Bora’s murder.
Sources By Agencies