Today, On 27th September, The Bombay High Court quashed a special court’s order permitting Indrani Mukerjea, accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to travel abroad. Citing the gravity of the charges and the risk of her absconding, the court denied her request. Mukerjea sought permission to travel for bank-related matters following her divorce, but the CBI opposed the move.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court, On Friday, quashed a special court’s order that permitted former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, who is accused of murdering her daughter Sheena Bora, to travel abroad.
Justice Shyam Chandak, presiding over a single bench, upheld a petition filed by the CBI challenging the special court’s decision. The CBI argued that Mukerjea is facing trial for a serious crime and could potentially flee the country.
The court ruled,
“The petition is allowed. The impugned order is set aside.”
Earlier, on July 19, the special CBI court granted Mukerjea permission to visit Europe (Spain and the UK) for ten days over intermittent periods within the next three months.
Indrani Mukerjea sought permission to travel abroad, citing the need to update certain bank-related documents and complete other tasks following her divorce from former media executive Peter Mukerjea.
Justice Shyam Chandak stated that if Mukerjea wishes to complete these tasks from India, the relevant statutory authorities should assist her.
The judge clarified that no comment was made on the merits of the case, but the special court’s order was deemed “not reasonable and hence unsustainable.”
The special court, while granting permission earlier, imposed specific conditions, including that Mukerjea visit the Indian Embassy or a related diplomatic mission at least once during her trip and obtain an attendance certificate. Additionally, she required to provide a security deposit of Rs 2 lakh.
Indrani Mukerjea arrested in August 2015 after the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora came to light. She was released on bail by the Supreme Court in May 2022.
According to the prosecution, Bora, aged 24, allegedly strangled in a car in April 2012 in Mumbai by Indrani Mukerjea, her former driver Shyamvar Rai, and her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna.
Her body reportedly burned and dumped in a forest in Raigad district. Bora Indrani’s daughter from a previous relationship. The murder only surfaced in 2015 when Rai revealed the crime during police interrogation after being arrested in an unrelated Arms Act case.
Indrani’s ex-husband, Peter Mukerjea, also arrested for his alleged involvement in the conspiracy. All the accused, including Peter Mukerjea, are currently out on bail, and the CBI conducted the investigation into Bora’s murder.