'No guarantee you will come back': Supreme Court denies Indrani Mukerjea plea to travel abroad

Indrani Mukerjea stands accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea of Indrani Mukerjea, accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora, against a ruling denying her permission to travel abroad.

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal directed the trial court to conduct the proceedings in the case within a year and upheld the Bombay High Court order refusing her plea.

"There is no guarantee that you will come back. Trial is at an advanced stage. Taking into consideration the fact that the trial is ongoing, we are not inclined to consider the request at this stage. We direct the trial court to expedite the hearing and conclude within a year," it said.

The bench gave liberty to Mukerjea to approach the trial court. Opposing the permission, the CBI counsel said it was a sensitive matter and the trial had reached halfway with the examination of 96 witnesses.

The counsel for Mukerjea, a former media executive, submitted she was given bail by the top court and 92 witnesses still remained to be examined in the case.

She said the trial court was vacant for the last four months and the proceedings could take a long time to conclude.

The travel restriction matter came up in the Supreme Court after a special court on July 19 allowed Mukerjea's plea to visit Spain and the United Kingdom for 10 days over the next three months.

The Bombay High Court however set aside the order on September 27 after the CBI filed an appeal.

Mukerjea moved the apex court against the high court order.

In her plea, filed through advocate Sana Raees Khan, Mukerjea said she was a British citizen as she sought permission to visit Spain and her home country for "making necessary changes and amendments and taking care of pending work which cannot be transacted without her personal presence".

She argued the activation of a digital certificate was a must for all relevant work and administration in Spain and her physical presence was mandatory.

While setting aside the special court's order, the high court said if Mukerjea wished to perform these works from India, the statutory authorities back home would extend her necessary support with the assistance of Embassy of Spain and the UK.

Mukerjea was arrested in August 2015 after the murder of Bora came to light. She was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May 2022. She has denied the allegations.

Bora, 24, was allegedly strangled to death in a car by Mukerjea, her then-driver Shyamvar Rai and former husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012 in Mumbai. Her mortal remains were then burnt in a forest in the neighbouring Raigad district, according to the prosecution.

Bora was Mukerjea's daughter from her previous relationship.

The killing came to light in 2015 when Rai reportedly spilled the beans during his interrogation by police after his arrest in a separate case registered under the Arms Act.

Mukerjea's ex-husband Peter Mukerjea was also arrested for allegedly being a part of the conspiracy linked to the murder, probed by the CBI.

All the accused are currently on bail.