Special CBI Court rejects Indrani Mukerjea’s 2-week bail plea

Mumbai: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Thursday rejected Indrani Mukerjea’s application seeking interim bail for two weeks to visit her hometown to perform the last rites of her father, Upendra Bora, who died on December 15. The court, however, allowed her to perform her father’s last rites in Mumbai on December 27. This permission means that she will be allowed to leave the jail for a day with police escort.

On Monday, Indrani was informed by a CBI officer that her father had died on Thursday, following which she moved the court on Tuesday seeking two week’s interim bail so that she could go to her home town and perform the rituals.

The CBI opposed her plea and with its reply annexed a copy of e-mail sent by Indrani’s biological son Mekhail to the agency taking objection on her bail plea. Mekhail, in the mail, said his grandfather had been bed-ridden for the last one year and he had been looking after both his grandparents for the last three years without any financial and mental support from Indrani. He had also said that his grandparents had legally adopted him as their son and he has already commenced the rituals.

His mail further added, “Indrani has been accused of murdering my elder sister Sheena Bora and ruining my family. Therefore, it is my utmost plea that I don’t want Indrani to come to Guwahati and visit me as this will create chaos and unnecessary disturbance in my life...” The special judge H.S. Mahajan on Thursday rejected her application seeking interim bail. However, the court granted her permission to conduct the rituals anywhere in Mumbai, including her residence.

The court has put certain conditions to follow while being released from jail for a day to conduct the rituals. The judge also clarified that Indrani will be taken out of the jail in the morning and will have to return by 7 pm. According to the court’s directions, she would be with a police escort the whole day and she has been restrained from speaking to anybody, including the media.

Rahul’s stand:
Rahul Mukerjea, who had tweeted in his father’s support on Tuesday, took to Twitter on Thursday, saying, “While Indrani so ironically performs last rites of her father.. I hope she spares a thought for Sheena too. She should be alive today.” Another tweet said, “The cbi and police/jail authorities absolutely MUST ensure she has no scope for trying to escape (sic).”