Income Tax dept to record Indrani's statement on bank account

A CBI court hearing the Sheena Bora murder case on Wednesday allowed the Income Tax department to record the statement of prime accused Indrani Mukerjea after it was told that authorities have found out about her bank account.

The IT department on Wednesday submitted a letter seeking permission of the special CBI court, which is conducting the murder trial, for recording Mukerjea's statement under section 131 of the IT Act.

Provision 131 empowers the authorities to conduct inquiries, summon persons or witnesses, examine them under oath, compel production of books of account and documents, and issue commissions.

After Mukerjea gave her consent, Special CBI Judge J C Jagdale granted permission to IT officials to record her statement at the Bayculla Jail, where she is currently lodged, on February 7.

Mukerjea is facing trial for allegedly killing Sheena (24), her daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012.

Police arrested Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and her then driver Shyamvar Rai in 2015, after the crime came to light. Rai later turned approver in the case.

Mukerjea's second husband and media baron Peter Mukerjea was also arrested for allegedly being a part of the conspiracy to kill Sheena.

The CBI, which later took over the case, had claimed that a financial dispute was the reason behind the killing.