Life, Love and Lies of Indrani Bora Mukherjea

8/19/2019 Life, Love and Lies of Indrani Bora Mukherjea

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Life, loves and lies of Indrani

India Today Group News – Fri 4 Sep, 2015

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On a rainy afternoon in Mumai in !u"ust 200#, wit$ t$e $a%f&'onstru'ted (andra&)or%i Sea

*in+ %oomin" in t$e distan'e, an unsuspe'tin" new 'o%%ea"ue was us$ered for an audien'e wit$

Indrani Mu+erea in an offi'e t$at ser-ed as t$e temporary $ead.uarters of $er soon&to&e&

%aun'$ed te%e-ision empire/ )it$out "reetin" or pream%e, Indrani smi%ed at $er new 'o%%ea"ue

and said Ima"ine t$ere is a meadow wit$ a $undred s$eep on it/ Now ima"ine t$at of t$ose

s$eep are %oo+in" in one dire'tion, and one s$eep is %oo+in" in anot$er/ 3o you +now w$o t$at

one s$eep is T$e emused new 'o%%ea"ue professed t$at $e didnt/ T$at s$eep, de'%ared

Indrani, is IN67

T$is was Indrani Mu+erea, t$en 8 years o%d, in $er a-atar as a wannae media aroness w$o,

s$e ima"ined, wou%d one day e as powerfu% as 9upert Murdo'$/ :nti% t$en, s$e $ad a%ready

een t$rou"$ se-era% transformati-e ma+eo-ers in -arious p$ases of $er e-entfu% %ife/ S$ed

p%ayed t$e ro%e of a pampered '$i%d "rowin" up in a midd%e&'%ass Guwa$ati %o'a%ity/ Of a "ir% w$o

%eft $ome ear%y and das$ed into an a%%&too&$asty re%ations$ip/ Of a woman w$o f%ed t$at

re%ations$ip, after earin" two '$i%dren, to emra'e t$e "%it; and "%amour of


2/11

Indrani, $er fa'e 'o-ered wit$ a %a'+ '%ot$ as s$e is us$ered to 'ourt y po%i'emen amidst a

fren;y of T@ ourna%ists, now finds $erse%f in t$e dis'omfitin" "%are of a nation t$at is una%e to

%oo+ away/ S$e is a fi"ure of uni-ersa% derision&a it %i+e )a%ter =a%mer, t$e dentist from

Minnesota w$o $as een a''used of e$eadin" Ae%i% t$e %ion in a Bimawe forest reser-e in >u%y,and a it %i+e t$e s'$emin", despised -amp from t$e fami%y soap operas s$e on'e 'ommissioned

as t$e pro"rammin" $ead of "enera% entertainment '$anne% 6/

(ut e-en as t$e po%i'e '%ose in on preparin" a '$ar"es$eet, %ed y Mumai =o%i'es media&sa--y

Aommissioner 9a+es$ Maria $imse%f, its een $ard to distin"uis$ fa't from fi'tion in Indranis

'arefu%%y 'onstru'ted, ut ritt%e %ife story t$at $as now een s$attered into a mi%%ion pie'es/

T$e po%i'e and media 'ir'us is sti%% t$rowin" up more .uestions t$an it is answerin"/ T$e moti-e,

t$e modus operandi, t$e sudden re'on'i%iation of Indrani and


3/11

!''ordin" to >ion (ordo%oi, w$o %i-es down t$e road, t$ey wou%d rare%y attend weddin"s or any

ot$er 'eremonies in t$e %o'a%ity/ (ut no one seems to +now for sure w$at :pendra (ora did for a

%i-in"/ Eis rot$er Mani+, w$o %i-es a four&$our dri-e away in Te;pur, !ssams 'u%tura% 'apita%,

says :pendra was a 'ontra'tor/ Ee a%so rented out some of $is properties, Mani+ te%%s indiatoday, addin" t$at :pendra sti%% earns aout 9s 2#,500 as mont$%y rent, w$i'$, $e stresses, is a

fair amount "i-en t$e "oin" rate for renta%s in t$e 'ity/ =art of t$e "round f%oor is %eased to a

pri-ate firm w$i%e two fami%ies and some wor+in" men stay in w$at were on'e t$e (oras

ser-ants .uarters/

! 81&year&o%d man, w$o as+s not to e named, '%aims t$at :pendra on'e wor+ed as a mana"er in

$is fat$ers paint fa'tory, ut was sa'+ed e'ause of a dispute o-er money/ =eop%e a%so rememer

t$at t$e (oras on'e ran a "uest$ouse in Guwa$ati 'a%%ed A$ana+ya Inn, w$i'$, a''ordin" to a

%o'a% newspaper, was raided y t$e 3ispur po%i'e in 2000 o-er a%%e"ations t$at rooms were ein"

rented out on an $our%y asis for s%ea;y %iaisons/ )$en india today '$e'+ed re'ords in 3ispur

po%i'e station, $owe-er, no su'$ 'ase was found to e re"istered/ !not$er e?amp%e of wi%d,

unsustantiated rumours f%yin" t$i'+ and fast, as nei"$ours, 'o%%ea"ues, e-en re%ati-es, stret'$

t$e %imits of rea%ity to a%i"n t$eir -ersions of Indrani wit$ t$e demonised fi"ure t$ey now see on

T@/

(y a%% a''ounts, t$e (oras %ed a 'omforta%e midd%e&'%ass %ife/ Mani+ '%aims $is rot$er is '%ose to

0, ut e%e'tora% re'ords su""est t$at :pendra is now #D and $is wife 3ur"a 9ani #8/ T$e (oras

sent t$eir on%y dau"$ter, Indrani, to St Marys, Guwa$ati, one of t$e most presti"ious "ir%s

s'$oo%s in t$e state/ One nei"$our su""ests t$at Indrani $ad e%oped wit$ a man from Nepa%

w$en s$e was in t$e nint$ standard, and was rusti'ated from s'$oo%/ T$e s'$oo% re'ords,

$owe-er, te%% a different story/ Indrani was, in fa't, a ri"$t student, s'orin" o-er D0 per 'ent

w$en s$e '%eared $er A%ass 6 oard e?amination in 1D8/ Eer '%assmates rememer $er as a

rat w$o a%ways mana"ed to do we%% in studies/

!fter A%ass 6, Indrani oined Guwa$atis Aotton Ao%%e"e, a%ma mater of t$e w$os w$o in !ssam,in'%udin" musi'ian ($upen Ea;ari+a and former '$ief minister Sarat A$andra Sin$a/ It was at

Aotton Ao%%e"e t$at Indrani, sti%% in $er teens, met (is$nu A$aud$ury, a %aw student w$o was t$e

son of a we%%&+nown Guwa$ati&ased do'tor, (/*/ A$aud$ury/ T$ere are some su""estions from

former '%assmates t$at t$e two were married rief%y, ut A$aud$ury says t$at t$ou"$ t$ey were

in a re%ations$ip, t$ey ne-er tied t$e +not/

Indrani mo-ed to S$i%%on"s *ady


4/11

pri-ate firm/ ! far 'ry from t$e 3as w$o was seen on T@ on Septemer 1, fa'e 'o-ered wit$ a

$and+er'$ief, offerin" detai%s of t$eir time to"et$er/ It appears t$at Sidd$art$as wife, (a%i, $ad

no idea aout $is %in+s wit$ Indrani unti% t$e media 'ame +no'+in"/ (y 1DC, Indrani $ad to%d

$er fami%y t$at Sidd$art$a was $er $usand, and $ad rou"$t $im to %i-e in Sundarpur wit$ $erparents/ T$is mont$, a%most t$ree de'ades %ater, Sidd$art$a $as said t$at t$ey were not married

t$en/

Indranis fat$er tried to $e%p Sidd$art$a sett%e down y openin" a restaurant for $im in

Ganes$"uri, ut t$e -enture ne-er rea%%y too+ off/ ! o%ess partner was not Indranis idea of

marita% %ife/ T$e responsii%ity of two '$i%dren&S$eena, orn in 1D#, and Mi+$ai%, orn in 1DD&

added to t$e tension etween t$e two/ So in >une 10, Indrani mo-ed to


5/11

It $adnt ta+en too %on" for Indrani to don $er new air&+issin" a-atar/ !%t$ou"$ s$e %i-ed in a

modest =G a''ommodation after arri-in" in t$e 'ity, s$e "ot a''ess to t$e upmar+et

nei"$our$ood of Eastin"s in !%ipore after a rief roman'e and swift weddin" wit$


6/11

$as un-ei%ed t$e swan+y 1C5D (ar and ust one so%itary fi"ure in

t$e main ar, drownin" dan"erous amounts of >a'+ 3anie%s and t$rowin" darts at a oard,

seemed o%i-ious to it a%% =oor Sanu, t$ey a%% said/

The #irst $ad% | Indrani &u!er'ea | &umai ("001-"01")

Indranis mo-e to Mumai was fortuitous/ !d-ertisin" and t$eatre ma-en !%y.ue =adamsee

wou%d fre.uent


7/11

mont$s %ater, t$ey were married at t$eir mar%e&f%oored =o'$+$anwa%a 9oad $ome, wit$ sin"er

'oup%e Sona%i and 9oop


8/11

In 2002, w$en news of Indranis pro-identia% new marria"e fi%tered to Guwa$ati, $er parents

wrote to $er, for t$e first time in a%most a de'ade/ T$ey said t$ey were stru""%in" finan'ia%%y, and

'ou%d not ta+e 'are of t$e '$i%dren any %on"er/ T$ey ur"ed Indrani to do ri"$t y t$em and send

$ome a stipend/ Indrani, a%t$ou"$ in'ensed y a %etter t$at may $a-e e?posed $er past to =eter,a"reed to $e%p/

Nei"$ours in !ssam say t$e (ora $ouse was transformed o-erni"$t/ Interior de'orators were

summoned, and two new 'ars were ou"$t/ Indrani went to Guwa$ati in 200C and rou"$t

S$eena to Mumai, as $er $a%f&sister/ T$e Mu+ereas enro%%ed $er at St 6a-iers Ao%%e"e, and

S$eena, w$o "ot a%on" famous%y wit$ @id$ie, was often seen wit$ t$em at so'ia% "at$erin"s/

Mi+$ai% was mo-ed to =une to furt$er $is edu'ation/ =eters o%der son, 9a$u%, from $is pre-ious

marria"e wit$ S$anam !nand, ne-er warmed up to Indrani ut "rew fond of S$eena a%most

immediate%y/ T$e two e-en e"an datin" %ater&an aw+ward %in+ t$at %ed to mu'$ dis$armony in

t$e Mu+erea $ouse$o%d/

It was in t$e midd%e of t$is 'omp%i'ated fami%y dynami' t$at =eter and Indrani de'ided to %aun'$

IN6 Media in 200#, wit$ San"$-i as t$e 'redi%e fa'e of News6, and Indrani ta+in" o-er as

pro"rammin" $ead of 6 after t$e first in'ument, 3i%ip G$os$, was remo-ed mont$s efore

%aun'$/

=eter, +nown for transformin" Indian te%e-ision wit$ s$ows su'$ as


9/11

)it$ 6s ratin"s p%ummetin" and News6 sti%% far from %aun'$ after a dispute o-er its

distriution ud"ets, a%%e"ations of misappropriation of funds t$rou"$ inf%ated i%%in" and $awa%a

transa'tions e"an to surfa'e/ !n in.uiry was ordered y t$e "o-ernment in 200D, ut ne-er

rea%%y too+ off/ To put t$e numers into perspe'ti-e, insiders say t$at 6 $ad an annua%pro"rammin" ud"et in t$e re"ion of 9s 850 'rore, a distriution ud"et of 9s 150 'rore, and a

mar+etin" ud"et of 9s 100 'rore/ !not$er in.uiry, 'ondu'ted not %on" after t$e sa%e of IN6

Media to Indi Media in 200, y t$e 'orporate affairs ministrys Serious Fraud In-esti"ation

Offi'e SFIO in 2018, re-ea%ed t$at t$ere $ad een a wron"fu% "ain of 9s 1CD/5 'rore in w$at was

des'ried as a s$am transa'tion 'arried out at t$at time/ !%t$ou"$ t$ere are a%%e"ations t$at a

%ot of t$at money went to =eter and Indrani, w$o $a-e een des'ried as t$e (unty aur (a%i or

t$e (onnie and A%yde of t$e T@ industry, t$ere is no dire't e-iden'e yet t$at t$e money trai%

ends at t$em/ Nor is t$ere proof yet t$at t$ey di-erted funds from t$ese dea%s to offs$ore

a''ounts/

On'e t$eir 'onne'tion wit$ IN6 ended, t$e Mu+ereas retreated to t$e mar"ins of Mumais $i"$

so'iety, efore e?tri'atin" t$emse%-es a%to"et$er for "reener pastures/ T$ey mo-ed to (risto%,

w$ere @id$ie was studyin"/ S$eena, meanw$i%e, oined Mumai Metro One, a unit of 9e%ian'e

!3!G, in 2011&a year efore s$e wou%d a%%e"ed%y e +i%%ed/

The **used | The +,erfe*t murder+

Indranis sti%%&rosy story too+ a dar+ turn ear%ier t$is year, w$en t$e Mumai =o%i'e re'ei-ed an

anonymous 'a%% from a yet&to&e&identified sour'e in Meerut t$at S$eena, w$o Indrani insisted

$ad mo-ed to t$e :nited States, was missin" for more t$an t$ree years/ It was a tip&off t$at

'au"$t Marias attention, and t$e suse.uent arrest of Indranis dri-er S$yam 9ai, a%%e"ed%y in an

arms 'ase on !u"ust 21, opened a =andoras o? t$at %ed to Indranis arrest, and %ater t$at of $er

e?&$usand


10/11

indeed S$eenas mot$er/ !nd it may, dependin" on t$e post&mortem and $ow '%ear t$e 3N!

e-iden'e is after more t$an t$ree years of de'omposition, e-en re-ea% t$e manner of deat$/

T$e se'ond +ey e-iden'e wi%% e t$e 'omputer from w$i'$ S$eenas fa+e resi"nation %etter was

a%%e"ed%y sent after s$e $ad een +i%%ed, and S$eenas 'e%% p$one from w$i'$ 11 te?t messa"es

were sent to 9a$u%, as+in" $im not to see+ $er out/ Aa%% re'ords t$at p%a'e


11/11

a%most on a dai%y asis, to 'ondu't t$eir interro"ations at

Life, Love and Lies of Indrani Bora Mukherjea

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