Mumbai: Maintaining that he required a “peaceful and hygienic condition” to recuperate from a heart surgery, Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, on Tuesday pleaded for bail for at least six months and being given “a chance to live”. Mukerjea, a former media baron, underwent a heart surgery last week at a private hospital here following a court order and is likely to be discharged in a week.
Making his submission before special CBI judge J C Jagdale, Mukerjea’s lawyer Shrikant Shivde said “he may die” if referred to jail following his discharge from hospital. Order is required to be passed urgently. Sometimes it takes around a year to heal (post surgery). Rejection of bail is as good as signing the death warrant… grant him bail for at least six months and give him a chance to live,” Shivde told the court.
He added that a “peaceful and hygienic condition” was required for post-surgery recovery and the same was not available either at the state-run J J Hospital or in the (Arthur Road) jail. “The prosecution says the jail (authorities) will take proper care (of Mukerjea)… It is easy to say, but it’s not the truth… Even in the J J Hospital, there are other infections and there are chances of him getting cross-infection,” Shivde said.
Countering his submission, Special Public Prosecutor Kavita Patil said infection due to unhygienic conditions was a “figment of imagination.” She said there was nothing on record to show that the JJ Hospital did not have post-operative facilities or that the jail conditions were not hygienic.
“He (Mukerjea) will be properly cared for in jail. If needed, he can be taken to the JJ Hospital. Everybody is aware that he has undergone treatment… so utmost care will be taken,” Patil said. The judge is likely to pass an order on Mukerjea’s bail plea on Thursday. Mukerjea, along with his estranged wife Indrani, is facing trial in the Sheena Bora murder case. Sheena was the biological daughter of Indrani from a previous relationship.
Mukerjea was admitted to the J J Hospital last month after he complained of chest pain, before being referred to the private hospital for heart surgery. Sheena (24) was allegedly killed by Indrani with the help of others in her car in April, 2012 and her body was disposed of.
The alleged killing was disclosed in August, 2015 by Indrani’s driver Shyamvar Rai, who was arrested for possessing a firearm. The police had then arrested Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna for allegedly killing Sheena. Mukerjea was also arrested for allegedly being part of the conspiracy. The case was later handed over to the CBI.