Mumbai: A special Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) court while dismissing on Tuesday the temporary bail pleas of both Indrani Mukerjea and her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna, co-accused in the murder of the former’s daughter Sheena Bora, has said in its detailed order made available on Friday that there is prima facie clinching material to show active complicity of both in the crime.
It said further that considering the nature and severity of the offence, they allegedly committed a heinous offence. Detailing the charges against Indrani, it said that she allegedly committed murder of her own daughter and that she allegedly attempted to murder her own son Mekhail Bora. “It appears that the present applicant has played an active role in abducting, murdering and disposing of the dead body of her daughter Sheena Bora along with other accused,” Special Judge AS Sayyad said, noting that she is instrumental in destroying evidence as well.
On Sanjeev Khanna, the court said that there is documentary evidence to show that he came from Kolkata and stayed in Hotel Hilltop that was booked by Indrani and that there is prima facie clinching material against him too.
On Indrani’s plea on the grounds of her health, the court said that it appears jail authorities have taken proper care to protect the prisoners, that proper medical facilities are available in jail and that she is under strict observation. It further noted that the positivity rate in Mumbai including in jail is coming down drastically at present.
Indrani had sought interim bail in May on the grounds that she had contracted COVID-19 in April in prison. Khanna had sought the relief in June based on the High Power Committee on decongestion of prison’s notification in May that allowed prisoners whose interim bail pleas were rejected earlier, to seek again for the relief.