Mumbai: The release of ‘The Indrani Mukerjea story: Buried truth,’ a docu-series based on the 2015 Sheena Bora murder case, has been delayed.
The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed Netflix to ensure that the prosecution, including Additional Solicitor General Devang Vyas and advocate Shreeram Shirsat appearing for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), should view the web series before it is allowed to be streamed.
Indrani, the mother of Sheena, is among the accused, along with her former husband and media baron Peter Mukerjea. Indrani herself features in the web series along with her daughter Vidhie Mukerjea and son Mikhail Bora.
CBI had expressed the apprehension that streaming of ‘The Indrani Mukerjea story: Buried truth’ on the OTT platform will affect the ongoing trial, as only 89 witnesses have deposed till date and that the “truth should come out in trial court”, not in a docu-series.
Hence, CBI had sought a stay on the release of the docu-series till the end of the trial.
CBI handed over a list of witnesses, out of which advocate Ravi Kadam, appearing for Netflix, pointed out that there are five witnesses who feature in the docu-series. Vidhie and Mikhail appear with some other witnesses in the four-part web series.
The bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Manjusha Deshpande said that like an accused in a case, the prosecution and victim in a case, too, have rights. “Why should the CBI not be allowed to watch the docu-series?” the bench asked.
CBI had contended that the docu-series is based on what the prime accused Indrani had said. Hence the bench asked: “She is an accused. It is her depiction. One of the bail conditions is not to tamper with evidence. When you sort of interview people in support of your case., What is the difficulty in sharing the docu-series?”
Kadam told the court that the docu-series was not just about Indrani and that everything shown was already in public domain. As the bench insisted that CBI be given an opportunity, Kadam agreed and requested the judges also to watch the docu-series.
“It (release) can be deferred by a week, heavens are not going to fall. They (CBI) are not saying postpone it, we are saying it. They have not even opened their argument. But till then, you will not release the series,” the court directed.
The hearing on CBI’s plea was adjourned to February 29.
