'Please don't say anything because I will be dead'

Indrani Mukerjea

Among several startling revelations in the CBI's chargesheet in the Sheena Bora murder case, is a series of text messages that Indrani and Sanjeev Khanna's daughter Vidhie had sent to Rahul Mukerjea, her stepbrother. The messages point at Vidhie's premonitions regarding her mother's displeasure against Rahul and Sheena's relationship and how badly she wanted to 'get someone out of the way.'

Indrani Mukerjea was produced at the Esplanade court yesterday. Pic/Onkar Devlekar

The chargesheet has reproduced text messages and e-mails shared between members of the Mukerjea clan that expose their shared anxieties and moreover, go on to show that family members knew that Indrani was out to do 'something bad'.

Vidhie Mukerjea

Peter had asked Rahul in 2011 not to attend his brother's daughter's wedding. But, Rahul, Sheena and Shabnam Singh had attended the wedding, after which Indrani and Peter were very upset.

Peter Mukerjea's son Rahul had started recording his conversations with Peter and Indrani after Sheena's murder. Pic/Bipin Kokate

According to the charge sheet, one of Vidhie's messages to Rahul said, "Umm Sheena it should stay between us 2 only...u and Rahul should be careful cos Mama is getting 'worried' about u 2 so I'am just warniing you guys...anything might come across...pls don't say anything because I will be actually be dead...if not dead Mama do something sooooo bad...trust me I really need your consent this...Mama says...she does not break up the relationship she wants to get someone out of the way...and I have just heard something excotic. Please reply back XXX."(Sic).

Peter's brother Gautam Mukerjea was present in court yesterday. (below) Vidhie's father Sanjeev Khanna. Pics/Sameer Markande, Bipin Kokate

Police sources also said that Rahul Mukerjea recorded his conversations with Peter and Indrani after his girlfriend's murder.

After Rahul - Peter Mukerjea's son from his first wife - had an argument with Peter over his relationship with Sheena, the couple started staying in another flat in MIDC, Andheri. Indrani was always against their relationship and she had also convinced Peter to oppose it. Rahul had even learnt that Indrani had tried to give tablets to Sheena in order to make her mentally unstable. So, when Sheena went missing, he questioned Peter and Indrani, but did not receive convincing answers. So, he allegedly started recording all of his calls with them and asked them about Sheena on the phone.

"In one of the calls, Peter was caught when he lied about Sheena being in the USA - after the murder - and said that she was very happy. The 2012 recording, taken immediately after Sheena's murder, is in our possession and is a crucial evidence for us," said a CBI officer.

Rahul helped the cops a lot in the investigations, and even identified Sanjeev Khanna in the identification parade.

Indrani's connivance
Indrani became very anxious after learning about Sheena and Rahul's engagement in October 2011. She thought that Peter, who loved Rahul a lot, would give away all of his property to Rahul and Sheena. As she did not want this to happen, she started planning the murder, so that Vidhie could get all the property. She convinced Sanjeev Khanna to be a part of the murder by telling him about Vidhie receiving the property. Now, Vidhie has become the nominee in most of the properties owned by Indrani.

The CBI chargesheet that was filed in the CBI special court on Thursday said, "When Indrani received a mail from Sheena, telling her that she was very happy after being engaged to Rahul, Indrani replied saying that she was very happy for her. She lied to Sheena, because she wanted to gain her confidence and then hatch a plan to get rid of her. Just a week before the murder, she took Sheena out for dinner and even dropped her home safely, so that next week she could kill her as per the plan."