Flashback 2016: Sheena Bora murder scandalises nation

The gruesome murder of Sheena Bora, the daughter of former media baron Peter Mukerjea’s wife Indrani Mukerjea from a previous relationship, on April 24, 2012 came to light in a series of shocking revelations this year.

Indrani’s former driver Shyamwar Rai had spilled the beans about Indrani’s alleged involvement in the murder and disposal of the body following his arrest by the Khar police in an illegal firearms case.  According to the police, the duo had allegedly  kidnapped the 25-year-old from near Bandra’s National College, strangled her and later disposed of her body in a forested area in Raigad district.

Following this, the police arrested Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna on August 25 and, on November 19, 2015, the police filed a chargesheet against the three accused and arrested Peter the same day.Peter, who has been lodged at the city-based Arthur Road prison since his arrest, recently faced a setback of another kind when the prison authorities recently rejected his request for a laptop without Internet connection or electronic typewriter.

Peter had two weeks ago moved an application seeking the same to complete his autobiography, citing “memory fatigue” due to “advanced age” and inability to finish off long sentences.   “We have rejected his application after receiving a letter from the court and informed him it is not possible for jail authorities to provide him a laptop or electronic typewriter. We also told him the jail manual does not permit us to make such things available for undertrials,” said Harshad Ahirrao, the prison’s jailer.

Interestingly, both Peter and Indrani have taken to literary pursuits, as the latter has translated 700 shlokas of the Bhagvad Gita from Sanskrit to English and wants it to be converted into a book. Peter, who is far from completing his memoirs, had assured the court in the application that he would not use the laptop for any other work than writing a book and it would be provided to him by his family. Special judge H.S. Mahajan had left the matter to the jail superintendent, but jail authorities ultimately rejected the application.

Interestingly,  both Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, accused in Sheena Bora’s murder, have taken to literary pursuits behind bars.

• April 24, 2012: Sheena Bora is allegedly killed by her mother Indrani Mukerjea and her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna.
• August 21, 2015: The police arrests Indrani’s driver Shyamwar Rai, who reveals conspiracy.
• August 25, 2015: Indrani and Khanna are arrested.
• November 19, 2015: Chargesheet is filed and Peter is arrested.