A special CBI court has denied granting interim bail to a British national, Indrani Mukerjea prime accused in Sheena Vora murder case. She has been in police custody since 2015 and is lodged in Byculla women’s jail in Mumbai.
Indrani Mukerjea had filed a plea seeking 45 days interim relief on the grounds of coronavirus outbreak and her medical condition.
While issuing a detailed order, special judge JC Jagdale stated that not even a single prisoner had lost her life in Byculla jail. The court also mentioned, “As per information of Byculla jail authorities, none of the positive patients are showing any sign of the severity of COVID-19.”
CBI court’s public prosecutor Manoj Chaladan’s has submitted that as Indrani Mukerjea is a British National, she is not entitled to temporary bail under the guidelines issued by Bombay High Court high power committee. Bombay HC high power committee directions specifically mentioned that foreigners in prison are not entitled to temporary bail in light of the pandemic.
The court has rejected four of her regular bail pleas filed on the grounds of medical conditions and this is the fifth time that her bail plea has been rejected. One another bail plea which is filed on the merits of the matter is still pending with the court.
Indrani has mentioned in her plea that she had a house in Worli where she can get access to better medical facilities.
To which the court replied that there are medical officers available in the jail and jail authorities ensure that handwash, soap, and hydrochloride is regularly provided to them. The court also observed, “Other medicines as well as preventive medicines and vitamins, are also provided to all the inmates. These all factors negate the claim of accused that only due to the epidemic of COVID-19, she should be released on temporary bail.”
24-year-old Sheena Vora was allegedly killed by her mother Indrani Mukerjea, her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna, and driver Shyamvar Rai in April 2012. Peter Mukerjea was arrested later for being the part of criminal conspiracy.
The incident got the attention when driver Shyamvar Rai was booked by Khar police station in an illegal arms case. During the interrogation, he revealed the story behind Sheena Vora’s murder case, and thereafter Indrani and Sanjeev were arrested. Peter was arrested after the matter was transferred to the CBI and got bail in March 2020.
