Netflix is set to unveil a true crime documentary series, The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth, which delves into one of India’s most sensational murder cases. The media mogul, who stood accused of financial fraud and murdering her own daughter in 2015, takes centre stage in the recently released trailer for the series.
Directed by Uraaz Bahl and Shaana Levy, this four-episode docuseries promises to immerse viewers into the twisted tale of murder, mayhem, and motherhood surrounding the Sheena Bora murder case. Bora was first reported to be Mukerjea’s sister before investigations revealed that she was actually the main accused’s daughter.
Scheduled to stream on Netflix starting February 23rd, 2024, the series will offer talking head interviews with Indrani Mukerjea as well as her two surviving children and archival footage of the media coverage around her daughter’s disappearance and death. The series also claims to feature “unsettling” call recordings between the Mukerjeas and previously unseen images of the family.
Currently out on bail, Mukerjea had to surrender her passport, agree not to contact any of the witnesses related to her case, and not seek adjournment of the trial. From an ethical standpoint, it is questionable that the docuseries is giving Mukerjea a platform to present her side of the story, as she is still technically under trial.
Read on to learn more about Indrani Mukerjea and the case that is about to be put under the media lens once again on Netflix’s true crime documentary.
Who is Indrani Mukerjea?
Co-founder and CEO of INX Media, Indrani Mukerjea, was born as Pori Bora in 1972 in Guwahati, Assam. In 1986, she entered a relationship with Siddhartha Das, with whom she had two children, Sheena and Mikhail, in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Leaving her children under her parents’ care, Mukerjea relocated to Kolkata in 1990, where she later married Sanjeev Khanna. She had another daughter, Vidhie, in 1997. By 2001, the family moved to Mumbai.
In 2002, while awaiting her divorce from Khanna, she met Peter Mukerjea, marrying him in November of the same year. Following their union, Vidhie Khanna adopted the Mukerjea surname. Indrani Mukerjea integrated her children into her new family. However, she introduced Sheena and Mikhail to Peter as her younger siblings. By 2006, Sheena was living with the Mukerjeas.
After April 2012, Sheena vanished without a trace. Around this time, Indrani Mukerjea obtained British citizenship through her marriage to Peter, leading them to divide their time between India, the UK, and Spain.
The discovery of Sheena Bora’s decomposed body in 2012 put the spotlight of suspicion on Mukerjea. Initially unidentified, Bora was revealed to be Indrani’s daughter from a previous relationship. The case took a turn with allegations of financial irregularities and personal vendettas, with sensationalist headlines revealing one sordid secret after another.
Why did Indrani Mukerjea kill her daughter?
The motive behind Sheena Bora’s murder remains shrouded in mystery. The prosecution asserted that Indrani and Peter Mukerjea were unhappy with Sheena’s relationship with Rahul, Peter’s son from a previous marriage, which led to the alleged conspiracy to eliminate her. However, Indrani Mukerjea has consistently maintained her innocence, even claiming in a memoir that the person accused of killing Sheena is still alive.
How was Indrani Mukerjea arrested?
Mukerjea’s arrest came after her former driver, Shyamvar Rai, confessed to his involvement in Bora’s murder. Rai’s revelation to the Mumbai Police in 2015 triggered a series of investigations that eventually led to Indrani’s apprehension. The case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which brought forth charges against both Indrani and Peter Mukerjea.
Where is Indrani Mukerjea now?
After spending years in judicial custody, Indrani Mukerjea was granted bail by the Supreme Court in 2022. She had been incarcerated for nearly seven years, awaiting trial. Presently, she lives in her Worli, Mumbai residence under strict bail conditions.
It remains to be seen if the Netflix documentary raises more questions than it answers. However, here’s hoping it doesn’t affect the public court of opinion with biased documentation of facts.
You can watch The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth on Netflix starting February 23rd, 2024.
