No guarantee of return': SC on Indrani travel

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a request from former media executive Indrani Mukerjea to travel abroad, expressing concern that she might not return to face trial for the alleged murder of her 25-year-old daughter, Sheena Bora, in 2012.

- Abraham Thomas

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Indrani was granted bail by the top court in May 2022.

A bench, led by Justice MM Sundresh, hearing Mukerjea's plea to visit Spain for executing a will, remarked: "There is no guarantee you will come back... You can complete the trial and then go." The court also directed that the trial be concluded within a year and allowed her to renew her application after that.

In its order, the bench, also comprising Justice Rajesh Bindal, stated: "Considering the ongoing trial, we are not inclined to permit travel at this stage. Let the trial be completed within a year. Liberty is granted to the petitioner to renew the application later."