Bombay HC allows Peter Mukerjea to undergo 15-day treatment at private hospital

The Bombay high court (HC) on Monday allowed Peter Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to undergo cardiac rehabilitation at a private hospital in Andheri for 15 days.

The HC has also directed the hospital to submit a progress report on Mukerjea’s health within 10 days of his admission so that it can decide if he requires an extension.

Mukerjea had moved the HC on April 4, after a special court under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) rejected his plea for interim bail to undergo treatment at the hospital.

On May 8, a vacation bench of the HC had refused to grant him interim bail for this but directed prison authorities to produce Mukerjea at a private hospital in Bandra-Kurla Complex on relevant dates.

Mukerjea’s lawyer, Shrikant Shivade, submitted to the HC bench of justice Revati Mohite Dere that his client needed to undergo a one-month cardiac rehabilitation at the Criticare Hospital in Andheri as his heart was swollen.

However, CBI’s advocate Ejaz Khan opposed the application and submitted that Mukerhjea could undergo rehabilitation in a government hospital. A senior cardiac surgeon from JJ Hospital was present in court to confirm the availability of facilities for cardiac rehabilitation.

While the HC upheld the CBI’s apprehensions of evidence being tampered in the case, it directed the authorities at Arthur Road Jail — where Mukerjea is currently lodged — to transfer him to the Andheri hospital and said that only Mukerjea’s sister would be allowed to visit him.