Sheena murder case: A story that is stranger than fiction

Mumbai - On Tuesday, Indrani, co-founder and former CEO of 9X Media and socialite par excellence (also wife of former Star TV CEO Peter Mukerjea), was charged with murdering her daughter (from an earlier marriage) three years ago.

It is the kind of story that cuts across all borders and blurs boundaries with its gripping morbidity - so it's little wonder that UAE residents are hooked on to the nonstop, live coverage being aired by the Indian news channels of the sensational Indrani Mukerjea case. The case broke out in the public domain in Mumbai on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Indrani, co-founder and former CEO of 9X Media and socialite par excellence (also wife of former Star TV CEO Peter Mukerjea), was charged with murdering her daughter (from an earlier marriage) three years ago. She was also charged with kidnapping and destroying evidence.
Here's how the grisly story unfolded. Complicating the murder plot is a report from Kolkata that the Mumbai police have arrested Sanjiv Khanna, Indrani's former husband, in connection with the murder of their daughter. The police
'She killed her 'sister' who was her daughter' are expected to seek a transit remand on Thursday from a Kolkata court to bring Sanjiv to Mumbai.
In 2012, the police had come across the remains of a woman - whose identity could not be established - in a jungle in Raigad, on the outskirts of Mumbai. But last week, the identity was revealed: by Indrani's driver Shyam Rai, who told the police he had assisted Indrani in killing Sheena.
There have been a series of flip-flops and twists in the tale: at first, it was reported that the murder victim was Indrani's 'sister' Sheena. The murder was committed, allegedly, due to a property dispute.
But soon, there came the startling revelation by the police that Sheena was, in fact, Indrani's daughter - something even husband Peter Mukerjea, who had set up 9X Media along with her in 2007, claims he was unaware of. Peter and Indrani (who was then an HR consultant) had married in 2002.
On Wednesday, Peter came on record saying he was "shocked to find out" Sheena was his wife's daughter from a previous marriage - and not her sister as had been maintained so far.
Peter added Indrani was not happy with the 'relationship' between his son Rahul (from another marriage) and Sheena. And that three years ago, Indrani had informed him Sheena was going to the US for higher studies. The higher studies explanation was also given to Indrani's son - and Sheena's younger brother - Mikhail, who lives in Guwahati. Mikhail maintained he sensed something was odd with the story because Sheena made no effort to reach out to him during that time period.
A former employee at one of the television channels that was part of the 9X group told this correspondent that Indrani was obsessed with fancy brands. "She was a 'brand victim' always sporting the fanciest international brands in clothing, jewellery and accessories," she said. "Naturally, the television network couldn't sustain such a lifestyle." In 2009, the Mukerjeas exited their start-up venture after selling their stake.
At the time of going to Press, the police are still trying to figure out the motive behind the killing. A great many theories are doing the rounds - beefed up by more and more 'revelations' being trotted out by more and more people - and this state of play is likely to go on for some time.
Till such time, 24-hour news television will be playing to the galleries.
nithin@khaleejtimes.com

• India