In the Sheena Bora case, Vidhie Mukerjea told the court that Indrani Mukerjea was left penniless as her sons Rahul and Rabin stole jewellery and Rs 7 crore.
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MUMBAI: In a dramatic turn during the Sheena Bora murder trial, Vidhie Mukerjea, daughter of Indrani Mukerjea and Sanjeev Khanna, alleged that her mother was left without resources to defend herself because Peter Mukerjea’s sons, Rahul and Rabin, stole her ancestral jewellery and funds worth over Rs 7 crore.
Vidhie Mukerjea’s Explosive Allegation
Deposing before Special CBI Judge J.P. Darekar, Vidhie testified that soon after her mother’s arrest in 2015, her ancestral jewellery valued in crores and more than Rs 7 crore in bank savings were stolen. She claimed Rahul and Rabin opened a new locker in their names to hide the stolen jewellery.
According to her, this financial plunder not only left Indrani penniless and unable to fight her legal battle effectively but also gave the sons a motive to ensure she remained behind bars. If Indrani were to walk free, she argued, they would be forced to return the wealth they had siphoned off.
Alleged Pressure and Intimidation
Vidhie depicted a grim picture of her experience after Indrani’s arrest. She alleged that relatives of Peter Mukerjea fought over her mother’s belongings, from perfumes to handbags. Rabin, she claimed, intimidated her into siding with the Mukerjea family against her mother, threatening that she would otherwise be disowned and cut off from family property.
She further testified that Rahul was unemployed, Rabin was in financial distress, and both desperately needed money for survival. This, she argued, explains why they were motivated to implicate Indrani in the murder case falsely.
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The Prosecution’s Position
The prosecution has long maintained that Sheena Bora, aged 24, was murdered in April 2012 by Indrani, her then driver Shyamvar Rai (now an approver), and Sanjeev Khanna. Bora’s body was allegedly burnt and dumped in the Raigad district. The case came to light in 2015 after Rai confessed to the crime. It is alleged that Indrani sent emails from Bora’s account after the murder to create an impression that she was alive.
A New Dimension in the Case
Vidhie’s testimony, however, introduces a financial conspiracy angle. She contended that her mother’s incarceration directly benefited Peter Mukerjea’s sons, who had access to and control over her wealth after her arrest. By linking the alleged theft of jewellery and crores in cash to Indrani’s inability to secure a fair defence, she placed Rahul and Rabin at the center of a possible financial motive.
The Sheena Bora Case
Indrani Mukerjea was arrested in August 2015 following revelations about her involvement in the murder of Sheena Bora. Bora, 24 at the time, was allegedly killed in April 2012. According to the prosecution, she was strangled in a car by Mukerjea, her then-driver Shyamvar Rai, and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna.
The body was later burned in a forest in Raigad district near Mumbai. Sheena Bora was Mukerjea’s daughter from a previous relationship.
The murder came to light in 2015 when Shyamvar Rai, arrested in a separate Arms Act case, disclosed information about the crime during police interrogation.
Subsequently, Indrani Mukerjea’s former husband, Peter Mukerjea, was also arrested for allegedly conspiring in the crime.
Earlier in this case:
The Supreme Court of India, on 12 February, dismissed Indrani Mukerjea’s plea challenging the Bombay High Court order that denied her permission to travel abroad. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal directed the trial court to conclude proceedings in the Sheena Bora murder case within a year.
The CBI opposed her travel request, noting that the trial is only halfway through, with 96 witnesses examined and 92 more remaining. Mukerjea’s counsel argued delays due to a vacant trial court. Earlier, a special court had allowed her to visit Spain and the UK, but the Bombay High Court overturned that order. The Supreme Court has now upheld the High Court’s decision, restricting her travel abroad.
Case Title:
INDRANI MUKERJEA Vs CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
SLP(Crl) No. 17027/2024
Read Order:
