Friday, December 23, 2016

Indrani Mukerjea wants to donate Rs 175 crore to ISKCON trust

MID-DAY: Indrani Mukerjea, the main accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, yesterday told the court that she wants to donate 75 per cent of her wealth, as well as her organs. 

To both her wishes, the court said she doesn't need its permission for acting on them. According to CBI records, the net worth of properties registered in her name is around Rs 250 crore, excluding the cash in her 10 bank accounts in the city. 

An investigation done by the CBI till now has revealed that Indrani had fixed deposits of Rs 80 lakh in her parents' names, which were transferred in her name in 2013. At present, the current value of FDs in Indrani's name is around Rs 6.92 crore — Rs 4.85 crore with Syndicate Bank, Rs 8 lakh with Axis Bank and Rs 1.32 crore with 
IndusInd Bank.


Besides this, her immobile wealth includes office premises in Phoenix Tower in Lower Parel, which she had rented out for `4.40 lakh a month, and flats on the 4th and 5th floors in Worli's Marlow building, of which one has been gifted to her daughter Vidhi; in the other, Indrani stayed with her husband Peter till the two were arrested.

In Betim, Goa, Indrani owns two flats bought for `62 lakh each. She also had office premises in Gurgaon, which was reportedly sold for `42 lakh. The probe has also revealed that Indrani owns properties in London's Snake Park. 

The day in court
Around 2.45 pm, when the court called out the Sheena Bora case, Indrani's lawyers Sudeep Pasbola, Gunjan Mangla and Ayaz Khan informed it that they would start their arguments on the point of charges against her by the CBI today (Friday). 

After that, Indrani, who was sitting in the third row with her escort officers, came forward and told the special CBI court, presided over by judge HS Mahajan, that in the last 15 months she has spent in jail, she has seen too much grief around her and hence wishes to do something for the poor. "Though I am a British citizen, I have spent almost my entire life in India. I am used to this simple life," Indrani told the court.


"Whether I get convicted or acquitted by this court, I want to give away 75% of the wealth I have earned to the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON) and an NGO working with women and children."

When the judge told Indrani that she need not inform the court, Indrani replied the jail authorities has asked her to, adding, "I also want to donate my organs."

After Indrani walked out, when the judge asked Peter if he wanted to say something, he replied, "My organs are fine, I don't intend to donate them as of now."

Permission granted
The court has also granted Indrani the permission to perform the final rites of her father on December 27. Its order stated the jail authorities should leave early in the morning on December 27, so that she can perform the last rites either at home or in a city temple, giving her time till 7 pm for it, and then return to jail.