Sheena Bora case: Indrani Mukerjea, Peter Mukerjea, Sanjeev Khanna charged with murder, trial to begin from Feb 1

Mumbai: Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday framed charges against Indrani Mukerjea, her husband Peter Mukerjea and former husband Sanjeev Khanna in Sheena Bora murder case.

The three accused charged with murder and criminal conspiracy in the sensational murder case.

Trial in Special CBI court will begin from February 1.

All the three accused were charged under IPC sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), 364 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 203 (giving false information in respect of an offence) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence).

Additionally, Indrani and Sanjeev were charged under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) for plotting to kill her son and Sheena's brother Mikhail Bora.

The accused trio pleaded "not guilty" to the charges, and the matter was posted for next hearing on February 1 when the trial will start.

Special Public Prosecutor in the case, eminent criminal lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, said the minimum punishment in this case is life imprisonment and the next procedure for the prosecution would be to prove its charges against the accused.

Besides, Indrani was also charged under IPC section 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record).

Sheena Bora, 24, the daughter of Indrani Mukerjea from a previous relationship, was allegedly strangulated in a vehicle on April 24, 2012, and later her burnt body was dumped in a bag in the forests near Gagode, in Raigad district adjacent to Mumbai.

The alleged murder of Sheena Bora came to light in 2015 when a former driver employed by the Mukerjeas confessed to the police for allegedly assisting Indrani in committing the crime.

Sheena was allegedly strangled to death by Indrani with the help of her former husband Sanjeev Khanna. She was killed for entering into a relationship with Peter`s son, Rahul from an earlier marriage.