Custody of trio extended till Sept 5

MUMBAI: Indrani Mukerjea, prime accused in the murder of her firstborn child Sheena Bora, briefly fainted in court on Monday while younger daughter Vidhie wept uncontrollably as the magistrate allowed them to meet on the court premises. Besides allowing the emotional meeting, the court extended till September 5 the police custody of INX media co-founder Indrani and her two accomplices — Kolkata-based former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyam Rai — who were arrested this August for the gruesome murder of Sheena Bora three years ago.

Police pressed against Indrani the additional charge of attempting to kill Sheena’s sibling, Guwahati-based Mikhail Bora, following his allegation that their mother gave him a spiked drink on the day of the murder.

Indrani, the wife of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, briefly fainted in the Bandra courtroom as the public prosecutor argued that their custody be further extended. The public prosecutor said investigators suspect the involvement of some others outside Maharashtra in the 2012 murder and so more interrogation of the accused trio was required.

Police still chased the motive behind Sheena’s murder and were trying to ascertain where the accused dumped the 24-year-old victim’s clothes, mobile phone and other belongings after the killing.

Khanna’s lawyer argued that police were only awaiting the reports of the forensic tests and there was no need to extend his police custody. He could be sent to judicial custody instead. Indrani’s lawyers that alleged police were using pressure tactics such as manhandling her in custody to force a confession from her. Her lawyers wondered if there was anything more to ask since she had been interrogated for around 90 hours following her arrest on August 25.

But investigators have contended that she and the other two accused have clammed up and not cooperating with the investigation. Indrani Mukerjea is accused of strangling Sheena Bora in a car with the help of Sanjeev Khanna and the driver Shyam Rai.

Her body was later set on fire and buried in a forest in Raigad district on April 24, 2012. Police officials have found some of the skeletal remains of Sheena Bora after the driver, who was arrested on August 21 for keeping an unlicenced firearm, took officers to the secret burial site.

(With inputs from agencies)