Sheena Bora Murder: HC Grants Interim Stay on Order Permitting Indrani Mukerjea to Travel Abroad

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted an ad-interim stay on a special court order permitting former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, who is accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora in 2012 and is currently out on bail, to travel to Europe.

A single bench of Justice S V Kotwal said the plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the special court order shall be heard on July 29 before the regular bench of Justice S C Chandak.

Justice Chandak was unavailable on Tuesday. The CBI had sought an urgent hearing of the plea before the alternate bench of Justice Kotwal. Justice Kotwal, however, said it would be better if the regular bench heard the plea.

"Until then, ad-interim relief granted (stay on the special court order)," the court said. Indrani's advocate, Ranjeet Sangle, told the court that she anyways can't travel as she did not have her passport with her. A special CBI court on July 19 allowed Indrani Mukerjea to travel once to Europe (Spain and the United Kingdom) for ten days between intermittent period for the next three months.

The probe agency's advocate, Shriram Shirsat, on Tuesday, told the court that Indrani Mukerjea is a prime accused in a murder case, the trial of which is ongoing. Hence, it would not be appropriate to let the accused leave the country at this stage, he argued.

The special court had, while granting permission, laid down certain conditions on Indrani Mukerjea. During her travel, she has to attend the office of the Indian Embassy or its allied diplomatic mission offices there at least once during her visit and obtain an attendance certificate, said the court.

The court also directed her to furnish a security deposit of Rs 2 lakh. Last month, the former media executive filed an application in the court seeking a nod for an overseas visit, claiming she needs to travel to Europe frequently for work.

Indrani Mukerjea was arrested in August 2015 after the murder came to light and 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 revealed it during interrogation by police after his arrest in a separate Arms Act case. 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.