In the Sheena Bora murder case, the testimony of her then partner, Rahul Mukerjea, resumed on Monday. During this, his ex-stepmother, Indrani Mukerjea, and father, Peter Mukerjea, among others, stand trial. He was cross-examined by Indrani Mukerjea’s lawyer.
The cross-examination had been stalled as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)—the prosecuting agency in the case—had produced before the court certain phone recordings by Rahul, to which the defence had objected.
These phone conversations were between him and his father after Sheena had gone “missing” in 2012. It was only after the court decided on the aspect of whether they could be used as evidence during the trial that his testimony could resume. The court eventually did not permit the CBI to use the recordings in evidence unless they fulfilled the procedure required to use electronic evidence.
As part of the cross-examination, Indrani’s advocate, Ranjeet Sangle, asked him and he responded that, technically, Indrani is his stepmother and Sheena his stepsister.
He responded to another pointed question by saying that he had no moral or ethical hesitation in continuing a relationship with Sheena after discovering she was his step-sister and Indrani’s daughter. He said they were not blood relatives and were consenting adults.
The lawyer also asked him if he had been in an accident in 2010, to which he replied in the affirmative. In response to a follow-up question, he denied that a pregnant woman lost her baby due to the accident.
Rahul further told the court when asked by the lawyer that he was not aware if Rs. 10 lakhs was paid to the police, so that the FIR was not registered against him in the matter.
He said, however, that his two-wheeler that was involved in the incident was taken away and his father had got in touch with the police over it. Rahul’s cross-examination will continue today.
