Sheena Bora murder: CBI gets 12 days to reply on Peter’s bail plea

The Bombay high court on Thursday gave a 12-day extension to the CBI for filing a reply on the bail application of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

Peter was arrested by the CBI in connection with the case last year. The investigating agency made him an accused for allegedly aiding, abetting and hatching a conspiracy with Indrani Mukerjea, Sheena’s mother, in the case. Peter had filed his bail application in the high court after the sessions court had rejected his bail application on two occasions.

Assailing the sessions court for rejecting his bail application, Peter also questioned the refusal of his bail on the ground that CBI is still investigating the case.

Once the chargesheet has been filed, the investigation has no fixed deadline and only mentioning that the investigation was still going on was not fair grounds to keep him in custody indefinitely, his application said.

“Peter was arrested on mere suspicion. There is no strong evidence against him,” said his application.

The CBI counsel on Thursday asked for an extension for filing reply on application, which Justice Revati Mohite-Dere accepted and kept the matter on July 19. The CBI had filed chargesheet in the case against Indrani, Peter, Sanjiv Khanna and Shyamvar Rai. According to CBI, Sheena was murdered on April 2012, but the crime came to light when the police arrested Rai, Indrani’s driver, in another case in 2015.