MUMBAI: Embattled former media baron Peter Mukerjea was granted bail by Bombay High Court in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case on Thursday. He had been named the main accused in the case.
However, despite the bail, Mukerjea won’t be able to walk out of jail as the Court stayed the implementation of its order for six weeks to enable the CBI to file an appeal in the matter.
He was granted bail on the ground that there was no prima facie evidence to suggest that he was involved in the crime.
Mukerjea was accused of murdering Sheena, the daughter of his wife Indrani Mukerjea from a previous relationship.
He has been behind bars for the last five years.
Justice Nitin Sambre, who granted him bail on a surety of Rs 2 lakh, said he was given the reprieve on the “merits of the case and his medical conditions”.
The court said Mukerjea won’t be allowed to contact his children Rahul and Vidhi.
24-year-old Sheena was murdered on April 24, 2012.
The killing came to light in 2015 when Indrani’s driver Shyamwar Rai, who had allegedly helped them dispose of the body, was arrested in another case.
Rai later turned approver in the Sheena case. Peter was arrested in the case in 2015 and he later moved a bail plea before special CBI judge JC Jagdale.
According to the CBI, Peter, along with Indrani and her previous husband Sanjeev Khanna, conspired to kill Sheena.
Opposing his bail plea, the CBI had told the special court that Peter is the “silent killer” of Sheena Bora.