Indrani Mukerjea, Peter Mukerjea and Sanjeev Khanna were charged with murder and criminal conspiracy on Tuesday for the death of Sheena Bora. The trial will begin on February 1. All three accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Indrani also filed for divorce from Peter on Tuesday amid the ongoing criminal case against them. She sought permission from the trial court to file for divorce to which the court responded saying no need to take permission.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court framed the charges against media tycoon Peter Mukerjea and his wife Indrani Mukerjea and her first husband Sanjeev Khanna for conspiring, killing and disposing the body of her daughter Sheena Bora.
They are also accused of attempting to murder of Indrani's son Mekhail Bora.
Peter's lawyer had earlier contested the charges against him by the CBI, saying that there is "no evidence or material to show Peter's involvement for the charges of attempt to murder, cheating and forgery."
Khanna's lawyers also challenged some of the charges like forgery and cheating. "As far as instances of forgery or cheating is concerned, Khanna has no role to play. Those charges cannot be applied," said his lawyer.
The murder had come to light on August 21, 2015, when Indrani's driver Shyamvar Rai was arrested for illegal possession of a weapon. He had led the police to the spot where Bora's body was disposed off in Raigad. Then it was not known that she was Indrani's daughter.
On August 25, a murder case was registered at the Khar police station under IPC sections 302 (murder), 363 (kidnapping), 201 (tampering with evidence or giving false information to save offender), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention). In the FIR, Indrani, her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna, and Rai were named.