Peter’s role was different, says CBI opposing Indrani’s bail plea

Arguing against Indrani Mukerjea’s fifth bail plea, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) – the prosecuting agency in the Sheena Bora murder case, told the court her role had been different from that of Peter. The latter had been recently granted bail by the Bombay High Court and Indrani sought parity with him.

CBI Special Public Prosecutor Manoj Chaladan argued that Peter’s role had been totally different from Indrani’s and cited the recent order of the Bombay HC which had granted bail to Peter and referred to Indrani. The HC had observed, “...even if we presumed that the applicant (Peter) has shown disapproval to love relationship (of Sheena and Rahul), there is material to infer that such disapproval was based on the directions of accused no.1 (Indrani) and the material on record demonstrates that the disappearance of Sheena was even suppressed from the present applicant (Peter), as it is accused no.1 (Indrani), after commission of crime of murder was operating email account and the mobile phone of deceased Sheena.”

Chaladan told special CBI Judge JC Jagdale that the HC judgment was nowhere helpful to Indrani. “There is also an apprehension that the applicant may abscond - being a British national,” he told court. Judge Jagdale pointed out then that her passport was with the agency.

The agency also told court that major witnesses such as approver Shyamvar Rai, indrani’s secretary Kajal Sharma and son Mikhail Bora have deposed. “We have brought prima-facie material to show the active role of the accused,” he said. Indrani had said in her bail plea that apart from the deposition of

Rai, the agency did not have sufficient evidence against her, that forensic evidence was falling apart and witnesses were not credible and some had even been planted.

On Thursday, a prosecution witness who had been present when the agency had obtained handwriting and voice samples of Indrani, Peter and Rahul Mukerjea, also deposed. The handwriting and signature samples were taken to rule out her handwriting in Sheena’s resignation letter and leave and licence agreements. Indrani’s secretary Kajal Sharma had deposed that she had forged Sheena’s signature on these documents acting on the instructions of Indrani. According to the CBI, Indrani had made her secretary send these documents to Sheena’s office and landlord after murdering Sheena, to hide the fact of her murder.