The Bombay High Court recently addressed Indrani Mukerjea’s request to travel overseas for bank-related work in Spain and the United Kingdom. The court suggested that if the work could be completed from India, it should be done locally. This instruction came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) appealed the special court’s decision to allow Mukerjea to travel abroad for 10 days over three months.
During the hearing, Justice SC Chandak emphasized that Mukerjea should only engage in the tasks specified in her initial application to the special CBI court. The CBI informed the court that essential payments could be made electronically, eliminating the need for Mukerjea to physically travel to the UK and Spain. Mukerjea’s lawyer mentioned the need to reactivate dormant bank accounts in Spain before conducting online transactions.
The court raised concerns about additional activities mentioned in a letter sent by Mukerjea to the Spanish Embassy, which were not part of the original application. Justice Chandak warned against generating extra work beyond the specified tasks, as it could work against Mukerjea. The court extended the temporary stay on the special court’s order until the next hearing on August 27.
Indrani Mukerjea, the main accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was arrested in 2015 after her daughter’s murder came to light. She was released on bond in 2022. Sheena Bora was allegedly strangled in 2012, and her body was disposed of in a forest. The case was uncovered during an investigation into another matter in 2015.
The court emphasized the importance of evaluating whether the tasks requiring Mukerjea’s presence in the UK and Spain could be completed from India. Both sides were instructed to provide a list of activities that need to be done abroad and assess if they can be carried out locally. The court reiterated that if the tasks are legitimate and do not pose security concerns, they should be completed from India.
The case highlights the complexities involved in international travel for legal purposes and the need to ensure that such trips are essential and cannot be accomplished remotely. The court’s scrutiny of Mukerjea’s travel plans underscores the importance of transparency and adherence to the specified tasks when seeking permission to travel abroad for legal matters.
