Indrani Mukherjea being taken in police custody (File/Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)The daughter of Indrani Mukerjea, Vidhie Mukerjea, appeared before a special court in Mumbai Wednesday, seeking oral permission for a hug from her mother. This development comes days after the same court rejected Vidhie’s plea to reside with her mother. Indrani is a former media executive who is facing trial for the alleged murder of her elder daughter, Sheena Bora.
Vidhie, in her plea, which was rejected by the special court, had said that she was a minor when her mother was arrested in 2015 and has been deprived of her mother’s companionship, love and warmth since the day of her arrest and has not been with her for the last seven years.
The court rejected her application stating that while granting her bail in May, the Supreme Court had directed Indrani to not establish contact with witnesses. Vidhie’s statement was recorded in connection to the case in 2015.
“Vidhie has come to India. She has not met her mother. Can she only hug her?” lawyer Ranjeet Sangle representing Indrani and Vidhie asked the court.
Special Judge SP Naik Nimbalkar said that the Supreme Court had set conditions while granting Indrani bail. “I can neither permit nor disallow such a request,” the court said.
Sangle told the court that she will only hug her mother and will not speak with her. The court said that the apex court’s order has to be obeyed.
Vidhie is Indrani’s daughter from her previous marriage with Sanjeev Khanna, who is also an accused in the case. She recently wrote a memoir titled Devil’s Daughter.