Sheena Bora murder case: CBI opposes Indrani Mukerjea's SC bail plea for her 'gruesome act'

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has opposed in the Supreme Court the plea of Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, saying she has committed a "heinous act of planning and killing her own daughter" and "such a gruesome act does not deserve leniency".

The CBI in an affidavit filed before the apex court vehemently opposed Indrani Mukerjea's bail plea saying she has committed the offence of murder of her own daughter and attempt to murder of her own son.

Indrani Mukerjea is an influential person in the society who can influence the witnesses who are yet to be examined and there is apprehension that she may tamper with the evidence, said the CBI while adding that she is not trustworthy and reliable hence her bail plea should be dismissed.

"There is every apprehension that she will threaten, intimidate or induce the prosecution witnesses, will tamper with the evidence and will abscond if enlarged on bail. Further, CBI has not filed a closure report as alleged, only further investigation has been concluded. Charge sheet have already been filed in the trial court," the affidavit stated.

The prosecution has strong apprehension that in case she is released on bail, she may abscond which shall seriously hamper the ongoing trial of the case as the accused is a British national, the CBI further stated.

As the matter came up for hearing today, a bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai granted two weeks to Mukerjea to file a response on CBI's affidavit.

Mukerjea has challenged the Bombay High Court order of November 16, 2021, denying her bail. Earlier, the bench had asked the CBI to file an affidavit on her bail plea.

Filing the affidavit, the CBI strongly opposed the plea of Mukerjea saying it is liable to be rejected in view of the fact that there is no substance or merit in the same and she has miserably failed to show any new grounds entitling her for grant of bail other than the grounds which were mentioned before the Bombay High Court, the investigating agency said.

"Applicant (Indrani Mukerjea) has committed very serious offences and the same cannot be treated like an ordinary case and as such the petitioner herein does not deserve any leniency from this Court," the CBI said.

It further said that prison authorities of Byculla Women's Prison have round the clock medical facilities to attend to any emergency and proper treatment, and due attention is being provided by the jail authorities to Indrani Mukerjea.

The offence committed by Mukerjea is very serious in nature and she is not entitled to any leniency from this Court on medical grounds, it said.

The allegation that Sheena Bora was alive after April 2012 based on the SMS exchange between Sheena Bora and Rahul Mukherjea after April 24, 2012, is only the "figment of the imagination of the petitioner", the CBI told the apex court.

There is sufficient evidence available in the present case which proves the guilt of Mukerjea and other co-accused beyond a reasonable doubt.

Indrani Mukerjea, facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora, is currently lodged at the Byculla women's prison in Mumbai following her arrest in August 2015.

She had sent a letter from the jail to CBI stating that Sheena Bora is alive. She also asked CBI to record a statement of a jail inmate who claimed to have met Sheena in Kashmir.

In her letter to the investigating agency, she stated that an inmate in Byculla prison had told her that she had spotted Sheena in Kashmir some time ago. In her letter, Indrani has requested the CBI to look into the possibility of Sheena being alive.

Mukerjea has always maintained that Sheena has not been murdered and is alive and had gone abroad for her education in 2012, although she could never prove her claims in any way.

The CBI has been investigating the Sheena Bora case since 2015, after taking over the case from Mumbai Police. According to the case registered by Mumbai Police, Sheena Bora was kidnapped and murdered by strangulation in April 2012. This case first came to light after the arrest of Indrani Mukerjea's driver, Shyamvar Rai in another case in August 2015.

During the investigation, he confessed to having murdered Sheena Bora in April 2012 and said that he dumped her body in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. He had also told Mumbai Police that Sheena's mother, Indrani and Sanjeev Khanna (ex-husband of Indrani) were also involved in this murder.

According to CBI's case before the court, Indrani Mukerjea killed Sheena Bora because she was furious over the relationship between Sheena Bora, whom she introduced as her sister to everyone, and Rahul Mukerjea, son of Peter Mukerjea (third husband of Indrani Mukerjea) from his first marriage.

According to the CBI, Mukerjea killed Sheena Bora as Sheena was threatening to expose her in public over the fact that she was not her sister, but her daughter, CBI said. Driver Shyamvar Rai turned approver in this case.

Peter Mukerjea was given bail by a special CBI court in March 2020. During the trial of the case, Indrani and Peter decided to end their relationship too. They were given divorce by a family court in Mumbai in October 2019.

(ANI)