Bombay High Court quashes special court nod to Indrani Mukerjea to travel abroad

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday quashed an order passed by a special court granting permission to former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora, to travel abroad.

A single bench of Justice Shyam Chandak allowed a petition by the CBI against the special court order on the grounds that Mukerjea was facing trial for a serious offence and that there was a possibility of her fleeing the country.

“The petition is allowed. The impugned order is set aside,” the court said.

A special CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) court had on July 19 allowed Mukerjea to travel once to Europe (Spain and UK) for ten days between intermittent periods over the next three months.

Mukerjea had sought permission to travel abroad claiming that she needed to change certain bank-related documents and other ancillary work after her divorce with former media honcho Peter Mukerjea.

Justice Chandak said that if Indrani Mukerjea wants to carry out the work from India then the statutory authority concern shall help her.

The bench clarified that it has not made any remark on the merits of the case but has only noted that the special court order was not reasonable, and hence unsustainable.

While granting permission, the special court had also laid down certain conditions for Indrani Mukerjea.

During her foreign travel, she would attend the office of the Indian Embassy or its allied diplomatic mission offices at least once during her visit and obtain an attendance certificate, the court had said.

The court also directed her to furnish a security deposit of Rs 2 lakh.

Indrani Mukerjea was arrested in August 2015 after the murder of Sheena Bora came to light. She walked out of jail in May 2022 on being granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Bora (24) was allegedly strangled to death in a car by Indrani Mukerjea, her then-driver Shyamvar Rai and former husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012 in Mumbai. Her body was then burnt in a forest in the neighbouring Raigad district, as per the prosecution.

Bora was Indrani Mukerjea’s daughter from a previous relationship.

The killing came to light only in 2015 when Rai disclosed it during interrogation by police after his arrest in a separate case registered under the Arms Act.

Indrani’s ex-husband Peter Mukerjea was also arrested for allegedly being a part of the conspiracy linked to Sheena Bora’s murder.

All the accused are currently out on bail. The CBI probed the Bora murder case.