Noted lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani on Saturday said that he had asked Peter Mukerjea, arrested in Sheena Bora murder case, not to talk to the media about the case but the former media magnate's interview to a news channel prior to this "advice" had already started the "media trial".
As the weeks go by in this trial, it has emerged that Shyamvar Rai is that rare species of driver whose knowledge of distances, directions and routes surprisingly would not even fill the back of a postage stamp.
As he was giving evidence, Dr Matcheswalla peremptorily summoned the CBI representative over to the witness box and whispered something. Indrani Mukerjea's advocate Sudeep Pasbola immediately cut in, wondering what he was up to: "Please, please, please." Dr Matcheswalla, looking innocently startled, said: "I was asking if I can order for tea."
Mekhail delivered the most deliberate heart-tugging line of the day: "If a son asks his mother for money is wrong, then tell me." At the back Indrani gave one of her most beaming smiles that was meant to convey the exact opposite. This was no mother happy that her son had said he turned to her when he needed money because she was his mother.
Vaihayasi Pande Daniel reports from the Sheena Bora murder trial.
Chidambaram had on Wednesday rushed to a trial court for protection from arrest in Aircel-Maxis case before approaching the Delhi high court in connection with the INX Media case, in which he has been asked by probe agencies to join investigations.
When Sheena got down from his car on the evening of April 24, 2012, Rahul says she told him, "Bye. Love you. See you later."
Indrani and Peter Mukerjea seemed more at ease on Wednesday, maybe with the INX Media interrogation over temporarily, chatting cheerfully and easily amongst themselves, and with former husband Sanjeev Khanna, at the back of the courtroom, in the accused enclosure.
Seeing Indrani in court with her perpetually sunny demeanour and beaming face is sometimes as unreal an experience as making sense of court delays.
The sensational Sheena Bora murder case probe tonight acquired a new turn with police claiming that Sanjay Khanna, former husband of Indrani Mukerjea, confessed to his complicity in the crime during a joint interrogation of three accused on a day the victim's skeleton remains were recovered.
The Enforcement Directorate has registered a money laundering case against Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, and others, taking cognisance of a recent CBI FIR against them.
I don't think Rahul Mukerjea once referred to Sheena as killed or murdered and always referred to it as her disappearance. It felt like he still used the word 'disappear' because killed had a finality to it that he didn't want to face.
Fear of Sheena Bora inheriting the entire property of her and her husband in the event of the victim's marriage to Peter Mukerjea's son Rahul is said to be the prime motive for Indrani Mukerjea to do away with her daughter, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation chargesheet in the sensational case.
'It's the court, not the government that decides where to put the people who indulge in corruption'
The attempts to unearth the document started getting more and more frantic. The clerks began to flip pages of files full of documents, some hand written, some bearing thick seals or multiple stamps, some in Hindi, some in Marathi. Several junior lawyers joined in, perusing different files and dockets. But in spite of the best of efforts the document was not to be found.
Indrani was spiritedly telegraphing details of the jewellery from the back of the court...
Investigators in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case are not ruling out the "honour killing" angle after it came to light that both Peter Mukherjea and main accused Indrani allegedly disapproved of the "relationship" between his son Rahul and the victim.
His son Karti was questioned by the agency in the same case on Thursday for about six hours.
P Chidambaram's son Karti was arrested on February 28 at the Chennai airport on his return from the United Kingdom, for his alleged role in facilitating Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance for INX Media Ltd. and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.
In the charge sheet, the agency said that prime accused in the high profile murder case, Indrani Mukerjea, was not happy with the love affair of Rahul and Sheena.
How much more gray or bald would Inspector Alaknure have become when we see him next? Will Peter still be wearing white shirts and khaki trousers and eating large lunches? Will Judge Jagdale be still in charge of the case? Who will be the prime minister when Alaknure appears in court next?
Justice A K Pathak had asked Chidambaram to join questioning and cooperate in the investigation as and when called by the CBI.
According to hospital sources, Indrani's counsel Gunjan Mangla met JJ Hospital Dean Dr TP Lahane, who apprised her about the condition of 43-year-old Indrani.
as the trial proceeds, Peter is beginning to look more and more haggard while Indrani by contrast is blossoming. Khanna appeared exhausted and more down and out than usual at this hearing.
All along, Rahul, right till today 10 years later, hung onto his gut feeling that something surely had happened to Sheena.
Ever since Mekhail had first entered the courtroom, he had, it would seem, never once looked at his mother, though they were a few metres away from each other. Curiosity, residual regard, memories, anger, none of it, could make him even look at the woman who gave birth to him. Was his hatred so overpowering?
Finally to end the dispute, Sharma threatened to show her shoes. Pasbola declared regally that he would like to forgo that particular honour. Sharma ignored him. Instead, she bent down, took off her shoe and triumphantly held her prize aloft, and said delightedly, "Yeh dekhiye! (Have a look!)"
This is the first time that the 73-year-old former finance and home minister is being grilled by the ED in this case.
Chidambaram has not been named as an accused in the FIR and the CBI is yet to file a chargesheet in the matter.
Dressed in pink, her hands flying about in eloquent gestures, excitement on her face, Indrani made quite a picture. There was pin-drop silence as she made strong points about why nothing in the hearings had uncovered anything against her. She spoke about there being "Not a shred of evidence... No scientific evidence because it didn't happen!"
Indrani called her personal assistant Kajal Sharma from the UK, May 3, 2012, and told her she had to sign Sheena's resignation letter as if she was Sheena signing it. But she had to first practice the signature and send Indrani proof of her proficiency in signing Sheena's name before sending the letter off. Sharma said she was reluctant and told the court that she told Indrani as much, but Indrani demanded it of her.
Rakesh Maria's tough posture as Mumbai police chief, it seems, ruffled feathers in the Fadnavis government, says Neeta Kolhatkar.
This has come at a time when Maria is personally heading investigations in the Sheena Bora murder.
This week was the first time Peter and Indrani appeared in court no longer married, footloose and fancy free once again, even if in jail.
In walked the scruffy band of pirates, without any swagger. Mostly tall or burly men, with weather beaten, resigned faces, the majority were dressed in track pants and tees; a few had skull caps. Some of their T-shirts had messages like 'I'm not in danger, I'm danger' or 'Long Beach California Surfer'.
'At the back of the courtroom the three accused sat trying to catch the drift and fathom the new, inexplicable turn the case could be taking.' 'And the consequences it might have on their lives.'
Badami asked Das if Indrani was in the room. Das, whipping out his hand and pointing it at Indrani, announced: "Yes, she is right there." Indrani, who was looking down, through most of the hearing, momentarily raised her eyes, just a fraction and glanced at him. That was the first time either of them looked at each other. Till then, and later, Das refused to look at her, as if he was not able to, either out of anger or revulsion. It seemed mutual. Indrani too pretended throughout like he did not exist.
The Central Bureau of Investigation was on Friday directed by a special court in Mumbai to begin arguments on framing of charges in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case from the next date of hearing due in mid-September with the judge saying he will "expedite" the trial.
The state government has ordered a probe as to why the police had not filed a first information report or an Accidental Death Report when Sheena's body was first found at a forest in Pen taluka of Maharashtra's Raigad district on May 23, 2012.
Media magnate Indrani Mukherjea, prime accused in the sensational murder case of her daughter Sheena Bora, on Sunday regained consciousness and is "out of danger", hospital authorities said.
Karti was arrested on February 28 by the Central Bureau of Investigation on his return from the United Kingdom, and his 12-day judicial custody was to expire on Saturday in the case.
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