Indrani & Peter Mukerjea divorce, 17-yr marriage ends amicably in jail

A family court on Thursday granted a divorce to former media baron Peter Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea (formerly Pari Bora), both facing trial in the Sheena Bora murder case. The divorce was amicable and the court was satisfied that it was a fit case for dissolution of the 17-year-old marriage, Indrani's lawyer said.

READ | 'Chidambaram's arrest is good news', says Indrani Mukerjea on Thursday

No chance of reconciliation

The couple had moved the family court in suburban Bandra in September last year, seeking divorce by mutual consent. Their divorce settlement included division of assets, including the couple's properties in Spain and London, bank deposits and other investments. Indrani, also a former media executive, had served Peter a notice for divorce on the grounds that their marriage had "irretrievably broken down" and there was no chance of reconciliation. Indrani (47) and Peter (65) got married in 2002.

"They stand finally divorced. The court perused all documents to see the compliance of consent term and granted divorce on being satisfied that it was a fit case for divorce," Indrani's lawyer Edith Dey said. "It was an amicable divorce with both cooperating during the proceedings," she added.

READ | Court reserves order on Indrani Mukerjee's plea to turn approver in INX media case

Sheena Bora case

Both are facing trial in the Sheena Bora murder case and are in jail under judicial custody since their arrest in 2015. Indrani is lodged in Byculla women's prison, while Peter is kept at the nearby Arthur Road jail in central Mumbai. Sheena, 24, Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, was killed in April 2012 and her body dumped in the adjoining Raigad district.

The murder came to light in August 2015 after the Mukerjeas' former driver Shyamvar Rai spilled the beans when he was arrested in another criminal case. Indrani's former husband Sanjeev Khanna is also accused in the case. Rai later turned approver in the case, which was first handled by the Mumbai police and subsequently by the CBI.

Indrani is facing a murder charge, while Peter is accused of being part of the conspiracy to kill Sheena.

According to the CBI, the financial dispute was one of the main reasons for the alleged murder. 

READ | INX Media case: CBI gets the nod to question Indrani in Byculla jail

READ | Indrani Mukerjea: Ready to confront Chidambaram in INX Media probe