Sheena Bora murder case: Special court rejects Sanjeev Khanna’s interim bail plea

Sheena was murdered on April 24, 2012, allegedly by her mother Indrani Mukerjea, along with her former husband Sanjeev Khanna. (File Photo)

A SPECIAL court on Wednesday rejected the interim bail plea of Sanjeev Khanna, who is facing trial in the Sheena Bora murder case. Khanna has been lodged in Arthur Road jail since 2015. His lawyer, Niranjan Mundergi, had submitted that in view of the high-powered committee’s recommendations to decongest prisons due to the Covid-19 outbreak, he should be allowed interim bail for 45 days.

On Khanna’s behalf, Mundergi also submitted that there is no possibility of him absconding and that he will remain present before the court whenever directed or required. So far, nearly 70 witnesses have deposed in the trial, stalled since March due to a countrywide lockdown. The lawyer also submitted that since the disease had also spread in Arthur Road jail, with over 180 inmates testing positive for the virus, interim bail can help in decongesting the jail.

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The CBI, however, opposed the bail plea stating that since the court had rejected Khanna’s bail earlier, there was no possibility of him being granted bail now. Special Judge J C Jagdale on Wednesday pronounced that the plea has been rejected. The detailed order is yet to be made available.

Khanna, the former husband of Indrani Mukerjea is facing trial along with her for the alleged murder of Bora. The CBI has claimed that Bora was murdered in 2012 by Khanna and Indrani, in conspiracy with her then husband Peter Mukerjea.

Peter was granted bail in the case in March by the Bombay High Court. Indrani also filed an interim bail plea earlier this week. The special court also directed the CBI to file a reply to her plea by June 26.