This story is from November 27, 2015

Indrani opened a/c overseas in Sheena’s name, Peter told CBI

Interrogating former media baron Peter Mukerjea, the CBI has learnt that a bank account of Sheena Bora exists in a south-east Asian country and has sought Interpol help for details. The agency believes large amounts were transferred to this account and will summon Gayatri Ahuja, who had allegedly opened it in Sheena’s name on her “friend” Indrani Mukerjea’s instructions.
Indrani opened a/c overseas in Sheena’s name, Peter told CBI
Mumbai: Interrogating former media baron Peter Mukerjea, the CBI has learnt that a bank account of Sheena Bora exists in a south-east Asian country and has sought Interpol help for details. The agency believes large amounts were transferred to this account and will summon Gayatri Ahuja, who had allegedly opened it in Sheena’s name on her “friend” Indrani Mukerjea’s instructions.On Thursday, special CBI magistrate R V Adone extended the police custody of Peter, 60, arrested on November 19, until Monday.
Later in the evening, Peter was taken to Delhi.
Peter, his wife Indrani, her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna and her driver Shyamvar Rai are in custody in connection with the murder of Sheena, Indrani’s daughter from an earlier relationship.
The CBI has run a psychoanalysis test on Peter and the report is awaited. They now want to conduct a lie detection test, it told court. The agency has said through these tests, they want to verify Peter’s statements.
Additional solicitor general Anil Singh, who appeared for the CBI, alleged in court that during interrogation, Peter said a bank account in Sheena’s name might have been opened in HSBC in Singapore or Hongkong by Indrani. Ahuja works for DBS bank in Singapore.
Investigations have found that a number of companies were formed and promoted by Peter and Indrani around 2007, and about Rs 900 crore was reportedly invested in them. An internal audit of the Peter and Indrani-promoted 9X Media in 2009 found instances of misallocation and siphoning off of substantial funds by the two accused, the CBI told the court seeking further custody of Peter to investigate the money trail and unearth a larger criminal conspiracy around Sheena’s murder. It suspects the funds were routed to Sheena’s account.

ASG Singh said the CBI needed to ascertain the modus operandi adopted by the couple in the suspected fraud and the possibility of parking the funds in different benami accounts in India and abroad. Referring to Sheena’s disappearance, Singh said investigations have shown that Peter and Indrani had contacted the Mumbai police to trace Sheena after her murder, and after two-three days, they told the police not to proceed in the matter as they had contacted her.
The CBI produced Peter in the Esplanade courts at 3.25pm after his lawyers Mihir Gheewala and Kushal More sought the special CBI court’s permission to speak to him before proceedings. Peter’s former wife Shabnam, their two sons, Rahul and Rabin, and Peter’s brother Gautam and his wife were present. Rahul, who was engaged to Sheena and is a key witness, communicated with Peter in gestures. His recorded phone conversations with his father on Sheena’s disappearance are one of the key circumstantial evidences in the case against Peter. The prosecution said Peter had lied to his son, saying he had personally spoken to Sheena and she was alive. Rahul has told reporters he believes his father is innocent. Outside court, when Peter saw Rahul, he called him for a hug. However, the police escort asked Rahul to refrain from doing so as it was not permissible.
Defence advocate Gheewala, who argued on the instructions of More, dubbed the prosecution’s arguments confusing and said the references to the financial transactions were vague. Peter had come clean and had told the media that he is himself a victim of his wife’s devious methods. “He trusted his wife, who told him that Sheena was her sister. He also trusted her when she said Sheena was alive. He had no reason to doubt her,” Gheewala argued.
Referring to the prosecution’s submission that Peter, like Indrani, was unhappy with Rahul’s relationship with Sheena, Gheewala said Peter’s stepdaughter, Vidhie, has said in her statement that Peter was very fond of Rahul and had no problem with the relationship. He added that neither Vidhie, Rahul nor Indrani’s personal secretary Kajal Sharma’s statements spoke about Peter’s role in the case.
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