This story is from October 22, 2016

Court refuses witness statement to Peter, adjourns hearing to Nov 15

A special CBI court on Saturday declined a plea by former media honcho Peter Mukerjea to be given a copy of a “secret” witness’s statement in the Sheena Bora murder case, which the CBI has withheld since last November. The court allowed his other plea—to be given a copy of his and Mikhail Bora’s television interview tapes— and directed CBI to hand these over on October 27. The court will now start hearing CBI arguments on framing of charges against Peter, wife Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna on November 15.
Court refuses witness statement to Peter, adjourns hearing to Nov 15
Peter, 59, husband of prime accused Indrani Mukerjea, was arrested on November 19 for his alleged role in the murder case.
MUMBAI: A special CBI court on Saturday declined a plea by former media honcho Peter Mukerjea to be given a copy of a “secret” witness’s statement in the Sheena Bora murder case, which the CBI has withheld since last November. The court allowed his other plea—to be given a copy of his and Mikhail Bora’s television interview tapes— and directed CBI to hand these over on October 27.
The court will now start hearing CBI arguments on framing of charges against Peter, wife Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna on November 15.
Peter was arrested on the day the CBI filed its chargesheet on November 19, 2015, against Indrani, Khanna and her former driver Shyamvar Rai. It accused all three of killing Sheena in a car on April 24, 2012, before dumping her body in a forest near Mumbai when Peter was abroad in the UK.
Sessions judge H S Mahajan heard a plea by Peter’s lawyer, Aabad Ponda, for a four-week adjournment to prepare for the hearing, considering that the CBI filed its second supplementary chargesheet only on Friday. The court adjourned the hearing to November 15. CBI counsel Bharat Badami left the decision to the court, but protested that four weeks was too long a gap.
Earlier, it was only after the Bombay high court ordered on a plea from Khanna’s advocate Shreyans Mithare that the trial court handed over copies of the third accused, Rai’s confession statement to the other three accused. The trial court has granted Rai a pardon; he is now treated as an approver.
The secret witness, number 11, in the first chargesheet has stumped the defence. His or her identity and statement are crucial to the CBI case and thus also to the defence. The judge said the request could be considered after charges are framed. Ponda argued that an accused has the right to argue and satisfy the court on whether the charges can even be framed based on the material produced by the CBI. “Till last night, until I saw the additional chargesheet, I was fully prepared. This is an attempt to create evidence against a person. I need time.”
All three—Peter, Indrani and Khanna—were present in court. Peter’s brother Gautam, sister Shongon and a close friend were there, as was Khanna’s brother. There was no one for Indrani.
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