Netflix to halt docu-series release on Indrani Mukerjea's case till Feb 29 after CBI moves court

OTT platform Netflix on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that it will not air the documentary The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth' on February 23 on its platform. The streaming platform has assured the court that it will wait till February 29 when the court will hear a plea by the Central Bureau of Investigation against the same. 

The platform has also notified the court that it will arrange to screen the series for representatives of the central agency and as well as the judges. 

The docuseries on Mukerjea, the prime accused in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case, was to be released this Friday-  February 23.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Manjusha A Deshpande heard CBI's plea on Thursday after the investigative body approached the high court seeking a stay on the release of the docuseries. The CBI had appealed earlier to the special court but the plea was rejected on Tuesday.

Netflix said it had no objection to the court’s suggestion that the CBI be allowed to view the series. The high court had asked whether the witnesses who have featured in the series have been examined by the special court in the ongoing trial of the Sheena Bora murder case.

Netflix releases trailer of The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth. Watch

The advocate representing Netflix has submitted the list of witnesses who feature in the series. Five are part of the series including Mukerjea’s son Mikhail Bora, a person who identified the spot where the body was burnt, and a police officer.

Additional Solicitor General Devang Vyas and advocate Shreeram Shirsat for CBI also submitted a list of probable witnesses yet to be examined.

Justice Dere had previously questioned Netflix as to why the CBI was not allowed to view the series.

“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 docuseries? Whether there is a right of the victim?," the court observed.

“Trial is ongoing, we want to know if an accused has a right. We are asking you, before we hear you (Netflix), why cannot the CBI watch the series? Because somewhere down the line, evidence is being recorded and witnesses are being examined,” the judge asked parties to the case.

Advocate Kadam who is representing Netflix also argued that the CBI cannot approach the court at the last minute seeking postponement of the airing of the series and added that there was no gag order against witnesses.

“It 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 the argument. But till then, you will not release the series,” Justice Dere said on the argument by Kadam.