Sheena bora murder case: HC extends stay on order allowing Indrani to travel abroad

Indrani Mukerjea. File Photo/Ashish Rane

The Bombay High Court on Monday extended an ad-interim stay on a special court order for two weeks that had allowed former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to travel abroad.

The high court last week granted an interim stay on the lower court's order after it was challenged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

As per the PTI report, a single bench of Justice S C Chandak on Monday adjourned the plea for two weeks and extended the interim stay until then.

The special CBI court on July 19 reportedly allowed Mukerjea to travel once to Europe (Spain and United Kingdom) for ten days between intermittent periods during the next three months. Indrani Mukerjea is currently out on bail.

According to the news agency report, CBI's advocate, Shriram Shirsat, had argued that it would not be appropriate to allow Mukerjea to leave the country (for travel) considering she is the prime accused under trial for Sheena Bora murder case.

The special court had directed Mukerjea to attend the office of the Indian Embassy or its affiliated diplomatic missions in order to obtain an attendance certificate and provide a security deposit of Rs 2 lakh, according to PTI.

Mukerjea had reportedly filed an application last month seeking the special court's nod, claiming she needs to travel to Europe frequently for work.

Mukerjea is being tried for the alleged murder of her 24-year-old daughter Sheena Bora in 2012, leading to her arrest in August 2015 and incarceration. She was released from jail in May 2022 after securing bail from the Supreme Court.

Bora, the daughter of Mukerjea born out of a previous relationship, was allegedly strangled to death in a moving car by the prime accused, her driver Shyamvar Rai, and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna in Mumbai, reported PTI. The body was allegedly burnt in a forest in the neighbouring Raigad district, as per the prosecution.

The crime came to light only in 2015, when Rai spilled beans on the crime during interrogation after police arrested him in an Arms Act case.

According to the PTI report, former media baron Peter Mukerjea, ex-husband of Indrani Mukerjea, was also arrested for allegedly being a part of the conspiracy linked to the murder.

All the accused are currently out on bail, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)