Supreme Court of India dismissed plea of Indrani Mukerjea seeking foreign travel permission. Bench of M. M. Sundresh and N. K. Singh directed her to approach trial court.
The Supreme Court dismissed a plea filed by Indrani Mukerjea seeking permission to travel abroad in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case, directing her to approach the trial court instead. The bench, comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and N.K. Singh, clarified that its earlier direction was only meant to enable the petitioner to seek relief before the trial court, and was not intended to serve as a forum for deciding the request on its merits.
The Bench observed during the hearing,
“We only said go before the trial court,”
Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for Mukerjea, submitted that the application had not yet been considered on merits and highlighted the urgency behind the request. He argued that the court’s consideration would involve more than merely procedural directions. However, the Court declined to entertain the merits at this stage and reiterated that the proper forum was the trial court.
Allowing the plea in effect only by providing liberty, the Court permitted Mukerjea to file an appropriate application before the trial court.
The Bench recorded,
“Our order is intended only to enable the petitioner to file an application before the trial court, and not before us,”
Noting the urgency raised by the petitioner, it directed that if such an application is filed, the trial court should decide it expeditiously preferably within four weeks.
The Court ordered,
“In view of the above, we grant liberty to the petitioner to file an application before the trial court, which, if filed, shall be decided in accordance with our order. Considering the urgency, the application may be disposed of within four weeks,”
Mukerjea one of the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case had approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to travel abroad. The case dates back to 2012 and concerns allegations surrounding the murder of her daughter, Sheena Bora. It has remained among the most closely watched criminal trials in India.
The Supreme Court’s proceedings were limited to clarifying the appropriate forum for seeking travel permission, with the Court making it clear that such relief must first be sought before the trial court. Earlier this month, the Court had granted two weeks’ time to the respondent (CBI) to file its reply in the plea.
In a related development in March, the Supreme Court granted a nine-month extension for completion of the trial in the Sheena Bora murder case. A letter was received by the Supreme Court from the Special Judge, CBI, City Civil & Sessions Court, Greater Bombay seeking more time to conclude the trial.
The bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N.K. Singh had ordered,
“Considering the prayer made, the time to conclude the trial stands extended by 9 months while making it clear that no further prayer seeking extension of time will be entertained,”
The Bench had also granted liberty to Indrani Mukerjea to file a fresh application seeking permission to travel abroad. “Liberty is granted to the accused person to file a fresh application seeking permission to travel abroad as mentioned in order dated 12.02.2025,” the order stated.
Indrani Mukerjea was arrested in 2015 on allegations that she murdered her daughter, Sheena Bora, with the assistance of her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, her present husband Peter Mukerjea, and driver Shyamvar Rai. In 2021, the Bombay High Court rejected her bail plea, but the Supreme Court granted her bail in 2022. She had filed an SLP challenging the High Court’s November 2021 order dismissing her bail application.
She is charged with murder of her daughter, allegedly after entering into a criminal conspiracy to kidnap and kill her. Peter Mukherjee is also a co-accused. The prosecution’s allegation is that Mukerjea killed Sheena Bora due to her live-in relationship with Rahul Mukherjee, the son of Peter Mukherjee from his earlier marriage.
Case Title: Indrani Mukerjea v. Central Bureau of Investigation