The CBI claimed that Peter Mukerjea was in touch with all the accused prior to the murder.
Highlights
- CBI said releasing Peter Mukerjea on bail would hamper the case
- CBI claimed Mr Peter was in touch with all accused prior to the murder
- Mr Peter is the fourth accused to be arrested in the murder case
Peter Mukerjea had along with his wife Indrani Mukerjea conspired to kill her daughter Sheena Bora as they were not happy with her relationship with Mr Peter's son Rahul Mukerjea, the CBI told the Bombay High Court today while opposing the former media baron's bail plea.
The agency also said that probe in the case was still on and it is at a crucial stage, and hence releasing Mr Peter on bail would be "prejudicial" and would hamper the case.
"Peter Mukerjea along with the other accused entered into criminal conspiracy to commit the heinous crime with a cool mind, in a premeditated and planned manner. Both Indrani and Peter were not happy with the love affair of Sheena and Rahul Mukerjea," the agency said in its affidavit.
The agency submitted its affidavit before Justice PN Deshmukh today while opposing Mr Peter's bail plea.
Justice Deshmukh later posted the plea for next hearing on July 27.
Peter Mukerjea, who was arrested by CBI on November 19 last year for his alleged involvement in Sheena Bora's murder, had approached the high court seeking bail after the sessions court rejected his plea.
In his bail plea, he claimed that there is nothing incriminating against him in the CBI charge sheet.
Mr Peter is the fourth accused to be arrested in the murder case, along with wife Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, and her former driver Shyamvar Rai.
Striking down Mr Peter's earlier claims that he had no problem with the relationship between Mr Rahul and Ms Sheena, the CBI said, "Peter too was not happy with the love affair. In 2009, both Peter and Indrani with the help of a friend separated Rahul and Sheena."
To corroborate this claim, the CBI is relying on an email sent by Rahul Mukerjea to his father on May 28, 2012, in which Mr Rahul mentions that Mr Peter separated him and Ms Sheena.
The probe agency further relied on an email sent by Mr Peter to Ms Sheena on April 3, 2011, stating that he expected Mr Rahul to start earning independently and make a decent living but instead he got into a relationship.
"Peter Mukerjea had even told his friend that the relation between Rahul and Sheena was not 'correct'. It clearly reflects that both Peter and Indrani were not happy with the relationship and tried to separate them. When their efforts to do so did not work, they (Peter and Indrani) hatched the conspiracy to murder Sheena," the CBI said.
The agency further claimed that Mr Peter was in touch with all the accused prior to the murder, the day on which the murder took place and even after that.