Sheena Bora case: Witnesses' statements, evidence indicate Peter's involvement, says HC

Mumbai: The Bombay Hight Court, while rejecting the bail application of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, has said that witnesses' statements and other evidence indicate his involvement in the 2012 murder case of his step daughter Sheena Bora.

Peter, who was arrested in the case by CBI in November last year, had approached the high court seeking bail after the sessions court rejected it. However, the high court had also turned down his bail plea on November 16.

Justice N W Sambre, in an eight-page order, refusing bail to Peter, also said, "It is really unbelievable that a stepfather has no concern for a daughter for almost three years as regards to her whereabouts."

The court noted that the statement of Indrani's driver Shyamwar Rai (who has turned approver in the case) points finger towards Peter as regards his involvement in the murder case.

"Even though the applicant (Peter) was out of the country at the relevant time, he was still in regular touch with the main accused Indrani everyday," the court said.

While refusing to accept Peter's contention that he was not against Sheena's relationship with his son Rahul, the court said, "The statement of Peter's adopted daughter Vidhie also speaks of disapproval of relationship between Sheena and Rahul by the applicant. The statement of other witnesses also point towards the involvement of the applicant to the crime in question," it said.

The judge refused to accept Peter's claim that he was misled by his wife Indrani as regards the whereabouts of Sheena and that he was made to believe that Sheena was very much alive and was residing out of the country.

"Even though the applicant is a stepfather of the deceased and he claims to have supported the relationship of his son Rahul with Sheena, in such an eventuality the least that was expected of is the applicant, being the stepfather of Sheena and father of Rahul, should have tried to know her whereabouts," the order said.

In his bail plea, Peter had refuted CBI's contention that he and Indrani hatched the conspiracy to murder Sheena as they were against her relation with Rahul, Peter's son from his first marriage.

According to the prosecution, Sheena was murdered on April 24, 2012, but the crime came to light after the arrest of Shyamwar Rai in another case in August 2015.