A special CBI court in Mumbai on Wednesday allowed CBI’s application to interrogate all the four accused, including Indrani Mukerjea for 10 days in jail in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case.
A special CBI court in Mumbai on Wednesday allowed CBI’s application to interrogate all the four accused, including Indrani Mukerjea for 10 days in jail in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case.
It was the first time on Wednesday when all the four accused were present in the court at the same time since their arrest but Indrani and Peter Mukerjea avoided looking at each other and left the court as soon as court proceedings were over.
CBI lawyer told the court that though chargesheet have been filed against all the four accused in the case, however further investigation is still on and during course of additional probe the CBI has seized mobile handset belonging to Peter Mukerjea which is password protected by thumb impression of the accused.
The CBI said that it require Peter’s thumb impression to unlock the phone and also interrogate all the accused who are in jail and hence they need court’s permission to question them.
“During the course of further investigation, accused Pratim Mukerjea alias Peter Mukerjea, Indrani Mukerjea, Shyamwar Pinturam Rai and Sanjeev Khanna are required to be examined to extract more information, as well as to verify certain facts emerged during the investigation,” read the CBI’s application.
After hearing arguments special CBI judge H.S. Mahajan allowed CBI’s application saying that the investigating officer could interrogate them but subject to medical fitness of accused.
The court also extended the judicial custody of all the four accused till March 17, when Indrani’s bail plea would also be heard.
In the meantime, Rai also moved an application in the court seeking to transfer him to Thane or some other jail. Rai said that he is under mental stress and tension due to prevailing circumstances and is hence requesting his transfer to another jail.
However, judge Mahajan disposed off the plea saying that shifting the accused from a jail to another is purely an administrative matter and it is not desirable on part of the court to pass any such order. The judge also directed him to approach senior jail authorities with his grievances to get appropriate orders.
Sheena (24), Indrani’s daughter from an earlier relationship, was allegedly strangled in a car in April 2012 and her body burnt and dumped in a forest in adjoining Raigad district. Her body was found in late August 2015. CBI, which took over the probe from Mumbai police late last year, suspects that financial transactions led to Sheena’s murder.
