Wasn’t aware that forging Sheena’s sign was an offence, Indrani’s ex-manager

In a bid to prove her ‘innocence’ the former manager of Indrani Mukherjea, on Thursday told a special court that she was not aware that forging someone’s signatures would amount to forgery. This comes in consonance to her statements that she had forged Sheena’s signatures.

Kajal Sharma, the former employee of Indrani Mukherjea, prime accused in the Sheena Bora case, deposed before a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court. She being the prosecution witness, was cross-examined by her ex-boss Indrani, through advocate Sudeep Pasbola, who asked her several questions pertaining to her role in Indrani’s office, her duties and other work.

Earlier, while being examined by the CBI prosecutor, Kajal had informed special Judge JC Jagdale that she had forged Sheena’s signatures as she was ‘convinced’ to do so by her boss Indrani. She had even told the judge that since Indrani was her boss so she was under ‘compulsion’ and had no other option but to forge Sheena’s signatures on two documents. The documents pertained to Sheena’s resignation and cancellation of the leave and licence agreement the deceased girl had rented.

While answering a query put forth by Indrani’s advocate, Kajal said, “It is true that I had signed on behalf of Sheena on instructions from Indrani. But I was not aware that I was actually committing a crime of forgery, which is punishable under law.”

“I realised that I have committed the offence of forgery only after the Khar police informed me about it,” Kajal claimed before the court.

During the course of her cross-examination, Kajal even revealed that she was responsible for booking travel tickets and paying bills of Indrani, Peter and also handled their personal accounts as well as the accounts of INX private limited. Kajal further told the court that she never booked any ticket for Sheena Bora.

“I was also responsible for maintaining the records of payments made to people. I had maintained a record of some vouchers of cash payment in 2012. Some of the vouchers stood in the name of driver Shyamvar Rai, but I do not recollect as to how much amount was paid to him,” Kajal deposed. The court would continue Kajal’s examination next week.

In a bid to prove her ‘innocence’ the former manager of Indrani Mukherjea, Kajal Sharma, on Thursday told a special court that she was not aware that forging someone’s signatures would amount to forgery.