Sheena Bora case: Peter Mukerjea in CBI custody for murder

Peter’s son Rahul produced recorded conversation, allegedly with his father

Former media baron Peter Mukerjea, husband of Indrani Mukerjea who is the prime accused in the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora, was on Friday charged with murder and remanded in CBI custody by a local court till Monday.

The CBI told the court of the metropolitan magistrate that he was involved in conspiracy with his wife Indrani and had played an active role in the murder of his step-daughter. Sheena was Indrani’s daughter from an earlier marriage.

Peter Mukerjea’s son, Mr Rahul Mukerjea, made a startling revelation about a telephonic conversation in which his father allegedly tells him that “Sheena is alive and I spoke with her” after her murder. Mr Rahul Mukerjea recorded this conversation and has handed it over to the CBI, which put this fact before the Esplanade court on Friday and gained custody of Mr Peter Mukerjea for three days.

The second major circumstantial “fact” put forth by CBI’s prosecutor was the “lengthy” conversations he had with Indrani Mukerjea over the phone from the UK before, during and after the murder of Sheena Bora. Mr Mukerjea faces all the other charges faced by the other three accused — criminal conspiracy to commit murder and destruction of evidence.

The public prosecutor for the CBI, additional solicitor general of India Anil Singh, argued before additional metropolitan magistrate R.V. Adone that Mr Mukerjea had “malicious intentions” behind making the particular claim before Mr Rahul Mukerjea while speaking on the phone back then.

Mr Rahul Mukerjea was trying desperately to unravel the sudden mysterious disappearance of Sheena Bora. Rahul and Sheena were in a relationship and wanted to get married. Mr Singh told the court, “The accused (Peter) lied to his son, telling him that Sheena was alive and he spoke with her. Secondly, Peter was having conversations with Indrani before, during and after Sheena’s murder.”

On this, Mr Mukerjea’s lawyer, Niranjan Mundargi, said, “My client was just trying to bridge the gap between Indrani and Rahul. Also, Indrani is his wife so why wouldn’t he speak to her ” Countering the argument, Mr Singh said, “Indrani and Peter were together in UK. Indrani returned on August 23 and Peter on August 26. In between they were speaking on the phone.”

Mr Mundargi said, “What is the motive for my client for committing the murder There are no financial transactions between my client and the deceased.” Mr Singh replied that they need to find the motive and, to do so, they need to interrogate him at length. Also, they need to look into his financial transactions. Mr Mukerjea also has bases in six places across India and so the probe is likely to take time. Further, Sheena’s purse, ATM card and mobile need to be found.

Mr Mukerjea looked calm in court and even smiled and laughed a little while speaking to a family member. He keenly listened to Mr Singh’s arguments. He kept nodding his head as if denying all the charges. On his way out he hugged his relatives and gave a cold handshake to his son Rahul. Mr Mukerjea avoided looking at Mr Rahul Mukerjea during the nearly one-hour court proceedings.