The Supreme Court has rejected Indrani Mukerjea’s plea to travel abroad, affirming a Bombay High Court decision that had previously overturned a lower court’s approval for her international travel. Indrani Mukerjea, a former media executive, is a key suspect in the high-profile murder case of her daughter, Sheena Bora.
Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal presided over the hearing, emphasizing the need for the trial to proceed expeditiously and instructed that the trial court conclude the proceedings within a year. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), opposing Mukerjea’s travel request, highlighted the sensitivity of the case and noted that the trial is midway with 96 witnesses already examined.
Mukerjea’s legal team argued that despite her being granted bail by the Supreme Court, the trial’s progress is stalled due to the trial court’s vacancy over the past four months, and with 92 more witnesses yet to be examined, the proceedings might drag on.
The issue of Mukerjea’s travel came to the forefront after a special court initially permitted her to visit Spain and the United Kingdom for 10 days within a three-month period. This decision was contested by the CBI, leading to the Bombay High Court’s intervention, which nullified the special court’s order on September 27.
