CBI opposes Indrani's bail application

The CBI on Thursday opposed bail application of Indrani Mukerjea, prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, saying she should not be shown any "leniency".

Mukerjea had moved the bail application about six months ago on health grounds before special judge for CBI cases J C Jagdale.

This is her fourth bail plea.

In its reply, the Central Bureau of Investigation said she should not be shown any leniency in view of the crime she is accused of having committed.

If released on bail, she could threaten the witnesses or influence them by offering inducements, the agency said, adding the trial was at a very crucial stage with 58 witnesses examined so far.

About her health issues, the CBI said jail authorities have always ensured that she was taken to hospital immediately in emergency.

Meanwhile, cross-examination of the forensic expert from government-run Nair hospital, who had examined the purported remains of Sheena Bora in 2015 after they were exhumed from Pen town in Raigad district, continued on Thursday.

Replying to a question by the defence lawyer, the forensic expert said no signs of manual strangulation were found during the examination, due to absence of "skin muscular tissue" of the neck region.

They could not come to any conclusion, from the remains which they examined, as to if the death was natural or unnatural, the expert said.

Sheena (24) was allegedly strangled in a car by her mother Indrani, Indrani's former husband Sanjeev Khanna and Indrani's former driver Shyamvar Rai in April 2012. The body was burnt in a forest in neighbouring Raigad district.

Former media baron Peter Mukerjea, Indrani's then husband, is also an accused in the case.

According to investigators, Indrani's opposition to Sheena's relationship with Rahul, Peter's son from earlier marriage, was the possible motive behind the murder apart from financial disputes.