Sheena Bora murder case: Supreme Court refuses to entertain Indrani Mukerjea’s fresh plea to travel abroad

Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani said that last year, the top court had not decided her plea to travel abroad on merit, but there is some urgency now.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to consider a fresh plea filed by Indrani Mukerjea, accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora, to travel abroad.

Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing Mukerjea, submitted before a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh that last year, the top court had not decided her plea to travel abroad on merit, but there is some urgency now.

The bench said that the court has already asked her to move the trial court, where proceedings against her are pending, for any relief.

The bench said last year's order was intended only to enable the petitioner to file an application before the trial court, not the apex court.

The court granted liberty to the petitioner to file an application before the trial court, which, if filed, would be decided in accordance with its order.

The bench added that considering the urgency, the application may be disposed of within four weeks.

Last year, the apex court had dismissed a plea by Mukerjea, a former media executive, to travel abroad, observing that there was no guarantee she would return.

The apex court had directed the trial court to conduct the proceedings within a year and upheld a Bombay High Court order refusing her plea. The apex court had directed the lower court to expedite the hearing and conclude it within a year. The court further gave Mukerjea the liberty to approach the trial court for any relief concerning overseas travel.