Indrani and Peter Mukerjea, both accused for the murder of Sheena Bora, were worried about Sheena and Rahul Mukerjea’s substance abuse, a defence lawyer said before a special CBI court on Monday.

Indrani and Peter’s friend Pritul Sanghvi was cross-examined by the couple’s lawyers Sudeep Passbola and Shrikant Shivde respectively on Monday.

Sanghvi was examined as the 27th witness by the prosecution to establish that the estranged couple were against the relationship between Sheena, Indrani’s daughter from a previous marriage, and Rahul, Peter’ son from a previous marriage.

The prosecution said Sheena was killed as the couple did not like their relationship. Sanghvi said the couple went to Rahul and Sheena’s place to separate them. Both the defence lawyers tried to point out that their visit to Rahul and Sheena’s place had nothing to do with the subject of relationship, but about their future and their bad habits.

Passbola questioned Sanghvi about his conversation with one of his colleagues and Sheena’s roommate Radhika. Radhika, however, is not listed as a witness.

Sanghvi said Radhika had once mentioned to him that she had seen Sheena and Rahul snorting cocaine (a banned drug under The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act). “I had immediately passed on this information to Indrani and Peter,” Sanghvi told the court.

Sanghvi said he did not know the purpose of Indrani and Peter’s visit, but said Indrani was concerned about Sheena’s consumption of cocaine.

First Published: Jan 08, 2019 09:54 IST