In a significant development, a special court in Mumbai has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to expedite the trial proceedings in the high-profile Sheena Bora murder case. The court's decision came in response to a plea filed by the prime accused, Indrani Mukerjea, who sought a swift trial and requested that it be conducted on a day-to-day or weekly basis. The court's detailed order, made available on Thursday, sheds light on the case's progress and outlines the measures taken to expedite the trial.
The Plea for Speedy Trial
Indrani Mukerjea, the mother of the deceased Sheena Bora, highlighted in her plea that the prosecution had already examined 71 witnesses, with a list of 92 more witnesses awaiting examination. Expressing concern over the sluggish progress of the trial, she invoked her fundamental right to a speedy trial, urging the court to expedite the proceedings. Indrani's plea highlighted the fact that the case had been ongoing for over seven years, and she had spent a substantial period, more than six years, as an undertrial before securing bail from the Supreme Court last year.
CBI's Response and Acknowledgement of Delays
The Central Bureau of Investigation responded to Indrani's plea by asserting that they had been diligently conducting the trial, summoning and examining witnesses. However, they also pointed out that delays had occurred due to the defense's frequent filing of miscellaneous applications and intentional prolongation of cross-examination proceedings. The CBI acknowledged that the trial had been hampered by adjournments for cross-examination preparations and prolonged dates for cross-examination taken by the defense. They, however, emphasized that the prosecution bore no responsibility for any such delays.
Court's Decision and Future Proceedings
After hearing both sides, the court acceded to Indrani's plea and directed the CBI to expedite the trial proceedings. To ensure a more efficient and organized process, the court fixed specific dates for proceedings, scheduling them for every first Thursday and Friday and every third Thursday and Friday of each month. The court granted flexibility to the parties involved to adjust the dates in case of emergencies. Additionally, the CBI was instructed to provide the names of witnesses to be examined on the fixed dates well in advance.
Background of the Sheena Bora Murder Case
Sheena Bora, aged 24, was allegedly strangled to death in a car by her mother, Indrani Mukerjea, Indrani's former driver, Shyamvar Rai, and her ex-husband, Sanjeev Khanna, in April 2012. Following the murder, Sheena Bora's body was burned in a forest located in the neighboring Raigad district. The case only came to light in 2015 when Shyamvar Rai disclosed the information to the police while being held in an unrelated case. Subsequently, Peter Mukerjea, Indrani's husband at the time, was also arrested for his alleged involvement in the conspiracy. Presently, all the accused individuals are out on bail.
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