"No Extra Business": Bombay High Court Pulls Up Indrani Mukherjea For Her "Extra Work List" For Travelling Abroad

The Bombay High Court on Monday pulled up Indrani Mukherjea, prime accused in the infamous Sheena Bora murder case for increasing her 'tasks' that she wanted to perform in Spain and the United Kingdom, so as to convince the court to permit her to travel abroad.

Single-judge Justice Shyam Chandak noted that in her plea before a special court, Mukherjea had listed certain tasks or works, that she wanted to perform like - changes in Will, paying her taxes, opening new bank accounts etc. The special court too had permitted her to travel in the two countries for completing these works. However, in a recent list furnished to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and also the High Court, the list included more such works, which drew the court's ire. 

Justice Chandak was irked to note that the renewed list furnished by Mukherjea included works like repair of property etc.

"No extra business. You will only be permitted to perform the tasks mentioned in the trial court order," Justice Chandak remarked orally.

The judge asked Mukherjea to be 'fair' to the court and not go beyond what was mentioned in the trial court.

"This isn't fair," the judge, emphasised, adding, "How can you add features that will ensure lot of your time there and mandate your physical presence... that was not expected... You should be fair to the court."

Mukherjea's counsel Ranjeet Sangle argued that even the Supreme Court while confirming her bail had permitted her to travel abroad but with 'prior permission' from the trial court.

The Court, however, opined that the apex court did not say that the court must permit her travel abroad without considering the issue of 'abscondance.'

"The Supreme Court order does not mandate this Court or the trial court to permit your client to travel without examining the issue of absconding. It doesn't say that you just allow her go out of India... You should have not mixed the issues the way you have done it now... Why to add extra features...This lacks bonafide... If you are introducing something new to expand the scope of your travel... It seems that you are generating reasons that you should be permitted to travel...Just by seeing the papers as it is, I can say that this conduct is going to affect you," Justice Chandak 

Meanwhile, CBI's special public prosecutor Shriram Shirsath told the bench that most of the reasons for which Mukherjea seeks to travel were 'made up' and not genuine. He submitted that most of the payments, updating of documents etc can be done virtually and the same would not require her physical presence. The prosecutor further accused Mukherjea of 'misleading' the trial court by not submitting 'translated' copies of the Spanish documents, on which she relied. He submitted that the CBI paid Rs 31,000 for getting the documents translated only to learn that most of the works for which she wants to visit abroad, can be done from Mumbai itself.

However, Sangle argued that for works like opening new account, payment of taxes, execution and changes to her Will, updating her documents etc cannot be done from Mumbai and needs to be done physically by visiting the said countries.

Having heard the contentions, the bench adjourned the hearing till August 27, with a directive to Mukherjea to submit a chart spelling out what actual work she proposes to do, whether the same can be done from Mumbai itself or not etc.