The Supreme Court of India has granted a final nine-month extension to conclude the long-running trial in the Sheena Bora murder case. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh issued the order on March 16, following a formal request for more time from the Special CBI Judge in Mumbai.
Crucially, the top court emphasized that this would be the final extension, stating: “The time to conclude the trial stands extended by nine months while making it clear that no further prayer seeking extension of time will be entertained.”
The proceedings, which are being heard at the City Civil and Sessions Court in Greater Bombay, have seen significant delays since the case first shocked the nation nearly a decade ago. The Special CBI Judge had written to the Supreme Court seeking additional time to navigate the complexities of the trial.
By setting a hard deadline of nine months, the Supreme Court has signaled its intent to see the case reach a verdict without further procedural stalling.
In addition to the trial timeline, the bench addressed a request regarding the movement of the prime accused, Indrani Mukerjea. The court has granted her the “liberty” to file a fresh application seeking permission to travel abroad.
While Mukerjea remains the central figure in the murder conspiracy, she—along with co-accused and former media baron Peter Mukerjea—is currently out on bail.
The Sheena Bora murder case is one of India’s most high-profile criminal investigations. According to the prosecution:
- The Incident: In April 2012, 24-year-old Sheena Bora was allegedly strangled to death in a car.
- The Accused: The CBI maintains the murder was carried out by her mother, Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, and driver Shyamvar Rai.
- The Cover-up: Bora’s body was allegedly burnt and disposed of in a forest in the Raigad district to eliminate evidence.
- The Discovery: The crime remained hidden for three years, only coming to light in 2015 after Shyamvar Rai was arrested in a separate case and confessed to the murder. Rai subsequently turned “approver” (prosecution witness).
Following the revelation, Indrani Mukerjea and Sanjeev Khanna were arrested in August 2015, with Peter Mukerjea being taken into custody three months later.
With the Supreme Court’s latest order, the CBI and the Mumbai sessions court now have until the end of the year to bring one of the decade’s most scrutinized legal sagas to a close.
