NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined a plea filed by former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, who is accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora, seeking permission to travel to Spain and the United Kingdom.
She assailed against the Bombay High Court's order, refusing her permission to travel abroad.
SC Rejects Indrani Mukerjea’s Travel Plea: Cites Ongoing Sheena Bora Murder Trial
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal rejected the plea but directed for concluding the trial within year.
Vehemently opposing any relief for Mukerjea, the CBI counsel said this is a sensitive matter and the trial has come halfway and over 90 witnesses have been examined.
Indrani Mukerjea Denied Permission to Travel Abroad: Supreme Court Orders Speedy Trial
It was submitted that Mukerjea reportedly wanted to travel to Spain for the purpose of executing a will. However, the bench said that she has a power of attorney holder there and there was no need for her to travel in person.
Her counsel contended that biometrics were to be registered, which the power of attorney holder cannot do. It was submitted before the bench that she has not travelled abroad in the last 10 years and there are 92 witnesses, who are yet to be examined. The bench said that there is no guarantee that Mukerjea will come back.
The counsel stressed that there was an occasion when she had a valid passport with her, and on two occasions in the period of custody, she did not misuse her liberty of bail. The counsel added that the trial court has been vacant for the last four months and the proceedings may take a long time to conclude.
However, the bench said that it was not inclined to grant the relief sought by the petitioner. The bench directed the trial court to conduct the proceedings in the case within a year. “Considering the fact that the trial is ongoing, we are not inclined to consider the request at this stage. Expedite the trial within one year from today,” the bench said.
A special court in July, last year, allowed Mukerjea's plea to visit Spain and the United Kingdom for 10 days over the next three months. The CBI moved the High Court against this order. The High Court quashed the special court's order in September last year. Mukerjea moved the top court challenging this High Court order.
Sheena Bora, 25, went missing from Mumbai on 24 April 2012. Indrani and her driver Shyamvar Pinturam Rai were arrested in August 2015 for allegedly abducting and killing Sheena and subsequently burning her corpse.
Mukerjea was on May 18, 2022 granted bail by the Supreme Court, which noted that she had remained in jail for six-and-half year and trial is unlikely to be concluded anytime soon.
