Rahul denies claim that he was with Sheena months after her alleged death

Mumbai Adding a twist to the tale into the alleged murder of Sheena Bora, Indrani Mukerjea’s lawyer on Tuesday claimed that Rahul Mukerjea and Sheena met their landlord in July 2012, months after Sheena’s alleged murder in April 2012

Mumbai Adding a twist to the tale into the alleged murder of Sheena Bora, Indrani Mukerjea’s lawyer on Tuesday claimed that Rahul Mukerjea and Sheena met their landlord in July 2012, months after Sheena’s alleged murder in April 2012.

A combination photo of Sheena Bora (left) and Rahul Mukerjea (right). (Photo: Sheena Bora's Facebook profile)

Indrani’s lawyer Ranjeet Sangle made the suggestion while cross examining Rahul who is a prosecution witness in the Sheena Bora murder case. The suggestion was however refuted by Rahul.

During the hearing, Sangle questioned Rahul about the car he was using. Rahul replied that he was using a silver colour Maruti which was given by Indrani to Sheena. Rahul also added that he used it till May or June 2012, after which he kept the car at the airport and left for Dehradun.

Sangle, however, claimed that the car was with Rahul till October 2012 and also questioned him about the parking charges paid by Rahul to the landlord up to September 2012. Rahul denied the allegations. However, on being asked Rahul said that it was the same car in which he had dropped Sheena in Bandra a day before her alleged disappearance, where Sheena was to meet Indrani.

Sangle later questioned him if on July 21, 2012, he drove her in the same car to the house of their landlords. The lawyer claimed that from there Rahul drove her on July 22, 2012 to the airport. Sangle also claimed that it was on July 22, 2012, after reaching the airport they abandoned the car there and left for their destination separately. Rahul again refuted the allegations.

The defence lawyer claimed that on July 22, 2012, after reaching the airport, Sheena boarded a flight to Dehradun and Rahul boarded another flight for Dehradun. Again, Rahul denied the suggestions.

According to the prosecution, Indrani and her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna had allegedly kidnapped Sheena — Indrani’s daughter from a previous relationship — on April 24, 2012, from Bandra, strangulated her in a car driven by Shyamwar Rai, also an accused in the case who subsequently turned approver.

The next day, they allegedly disposed of the body in a forest on Pen-Khopoli road in the neighbouring Raigad district.

Although Sheena’s remains were discovered by local police within days, the plot to murder her only came to light, on August 21, 2015, when Khar police arrested Rai for another crime. During interrogation, Rai revealed details pertaining to Bora’s murder following which a murder case was registered and the police also apprehended Indrani and Khanna.

The CBI took over the investigation in September 2015, and arrested Indrani’s husband Peter Mukerjea, claiming that he was part of the conspiracy to kill Bora. CBI investigators said that Peter and Indrani were unhappy about Bora’s relationship with Rahul, Peter’s son from a previous marriage.