Former media baron Peter Mukerjea was aware of the conspiracy to kill his stepdaughter Sheena Bora and was kept informed by Sheena's mother and prime accused Indrani Mukerjea on selection of spot for disposal of the body, the Central Bureau of Investigation said in its second supplementary chargesheet filed before a special court in Mumbai in the 2012 murder case.
The prosecution is likely to begin on Saturday its arguments on framing of charges against all the accused in the case, namely Peter, his wife Indrani, and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna.
The nearly 200-page chargesheet was filed before the court of special CBI judge H S Mahajan.
Sheena, 24, was strangled in a car here in April 2012 allegedly by Indrani, Khanna and Indrani’s former driver Shyamvar Rai. Sheena’s body was then dumped in a forest in neighbouring Raigad district.
According to the charge sheet, Indrani and Peter were against the ‘intimate relationship’ between Sheena, Indrani’s daughter from earlier relationship, and Rahul, Peter’s son from his first wife.
Peter often used to quarrel with Rahul on the issue as he didn’t approve of the relationship between Sheena and his son.
As per the chargesheet, Peter always dissuaded Khanna’s daughter from Indrani, Vidhi from having any contact with Rahul and Sheena.
Peter was initially fine with the relationship between Sheena and Rahul believing it would wane eventually over financial pressures.
‘Initially, I was okay with your relationship (with Sheena) as I figured that due to economic pressures it would break anyway as Sheena would want more from life and that she would tell you this and leave you if she didn’t get it after a while,’ Peter wrote in an email to Rahul.
In the mail, Peter also said he was more interested in Rahul’s safety.
‘I could understand you having a broken heart for a time but nothing more than that..and I didn’t want any harm to come to you in the process. Who knows what things people can get up to in their quest for saving their girls or their reputation,’ Peter said, indicating he was aware of Indrani’s intentions.
In his email to Sheena, assuming she was alive, Rahul had stated that Peter and Indrani were warning him about being shot or beaten up, apparently over his closeness with her.
‘I dunno what the heck is going on. People are still calling me with their worry. P and I (insinuating Peter and Indrani) are still giving me bakwas and warning me about being shot or beaten up (sic),’ he stated.
In its chargesheet filed on November 19 last year, the CBI had named Indrani, Khanna and Rai as accused in the case.
Rai later turned approver in the case.
Peter was arrested on November 19 last year for his alleged role in the murder plot. A chargesheet was filed against him by the CBI on February 16.
In Friday’s chargesheet, the CBI also mentioned about another e-mail sent by Rahul to Peter.
‘As I said, there's a simple solution. I am done talking... You people are deceitful and dishonest and I want nothing further to do with any of you. A father who told me that it doesn’t matter what I do as long as I didn’t get caught is not really gonna teach me anything positive (sic),’ he said.
The CBI also mentioned about an e-mail sent by Vidhi to Rahul, asking him not to be in touch with her.
‘Please don’t be in touch with me. I have my exams going on. I don't need to waste time with this. My parents have asked me not to be in touch with you. So please don't contact me,’ she stated.
As per the CBI, Peter also sent an e-mail to Rahul, discouraging him to pursue the matter pertaining to disappearance of Sheena.
The chargesheet further said Indrani called her son and Sheena’s brother Mekhail to Mumbai from Guwahati, but introduced him as her ‘brother’ to her staff, and as her ‘client’ to Khanna.
The CBI also stated Khanna called Mekhail and offered him whisky. After few drinks, Mekhail lost control and passed out. When he regained his senses next day, he found himself locked in a room with his hands tied and his hair cut. However, the chargesheet didn’t mention the exact time frame for this incident.
‘When Mekhail started shouting, he was given injection which made him unconscious. When he regained his consciousness, he discovered that he was in a drug de-addiction centre in Mumbai,’ the chargesheet stated.
As per the CBI, Indrani got Mekhail admitted at the centre by falsely claiming that he was taking drugs.
According to the document, Sheena had informed Mekhail about her closeness with Rahul and also shared with him that their relationship was not acceptable to Indrani and Peter.
‘Indrani had arranged job for Sheena and asked her to part her ways with Rahul. But they were intimate and didn't listen to Indrani,’ the CBI said.
According to the CBI, Sheena had gone to Guwahati in 2011 to attend marriage of her friend.
During that visit, she appeared to be annoyed with Mekhail and on inquiry she said that she was unhappy because of his disapproval with her relationship with Rahul. To this, Mekhail informed her that ‘he was doing everything at the instance of Indrani’, which Sheena understood.
The CBI stated that Indrani had ‘used’ Mekhail to separate Sheena and Rahul. She also asked Mekhail to message Sheena in order to force the latter to break up with Rahul, but Sheena didn’t comply.
This is first time that Mekhail’s statement was recorded by the CBI in the case. It was suspected that Indrani also wanted to eliminate Mekhail to keep her actual relationship with him under wraps.
In April 2012, Mekhail had received a call from Rai telling him that a ‘lot of money’ was lying in house of Indrani in Mumbai and she was not in India, and he could come and take money if interested. However, Mekhail sensed something was amiss and refused to come.
In the same month, Indrani called Mekhail to Mumbai.
As per the CBI, after reaching her house in Worli, Indrani offered Mekhail an alcoholic drink and asked Rai to bring some food from a nearby restaurant.
When Indrani insisted him to finish the drink faster, Mekhail grew suspicious even as he stated feeling uncomfortable. When Rai returned, he was with Khanna and spoke with Indrani separately.
Mekhail became apprehensive recalling his last experience with Khanna. Also that night, Mekhail had his food, but did not sleep despite Indrani’s requests. He also bolted door of room from inside against Indrani’s instructions, the agency said quoting Mekhail’s statement.
Mekhail was not aware that Sheena was killed before he reached Indrani’s place, but he observed that the behaviour of the trio was not normal.
Mekhail was also apprehensive that Indrani was planning to kill him and had called him from Guwahati, apparently to carry out her plan.
He stated Indrani had earlier taken help of doctors to declare him ‘insane’ so as to prevent him for revealing his actual relationship with Indrani.
Indrani had also gone to Sheena’s accommodation and tried to mislead her roommate, saying that Rahul took drugs and requested the roommate to persuade Sheena to break up with Rahul.
The agency stated that Peter and Indrani were part of the plot to murder Sheena as they were against her relationship with Rahul.
Image: Peter Mukerjea being produced by the CBI at the Esplanade court in Mumbai. Photograph: Mitesh Bhuvad/PTI
