Sheena Bora case: Special CBI court rejects bail pleas of Indrani, Rai

Indrani had said her medical condition is deteriorating.

THE SPECIAL CBI court conducting the trial in the Sheena Bora murder case rejected the bail applications of main accused Indrani Mukerjea and accused-turned-approver Shyamvar Rai on Saturday.

Special Judge J C Jagdale said Mukerjea’s bail plea, filed within a month of an earlier plea being rejected, did not show any change in the circumstances to reconsider the court’s previous order. The court also said one of the main witnesses in the case, Rahul Mukerjea, with whom Sheena had a relationship, is yet to be examined as a witness. If released, Indrani could tamper with evidence pertaining to him, crucial to the case. Rahul is the son of Indrani’s co-accused and husband Peter Mukerjea. Indrani, who herself had presented her case seeking bail, had said her medical condition is deteriorating.

On Saturday, the court also rejected the bail application of Rai, who was produced in court on Friday. The court has said Rai had not submitted any provision under which bail could be granted for an accused seeking plea of pardon by deposing as a prosecution witness against the accused.

On Friday, the court had directed that Rai be represented by a lawyer from the legal aid panel, as per his wish. Rai, formerly employed as a driver of the Mukerjeas, had said in his plea that since his deposition as a witness concluded in February, he should be granted bail pending trial. He had claimed that the financial condition of his family had worsened, as he was the main earner.