'When Vidhie was born, Indrani doted on her and was everything one could ask for in a mother and a wife. Then one fine morning, we heard that she had dumped Sanju and left for Mumbai.'
'It's possible for a scheming person like Indrani to squeeze out a 'favour' from her ex-husband using their daughter as bait.'
"Sanjeev (Khanna) is a happy-go-lucky person, who is always eager to help others. He is an affectionate man, whom I love a lot. It's really difficult to accept that he could be involved in a murder," Wing Commander Deejay Kler (retd) told Indrani Roy/Rediff.com late on Thursday, August 27, night.
Khanna, a Kolkata businessman and Kler's friend for 27 years, has been arrested for allegedly helping his former wife Indrani Mukerjea murder her daughter Sheena Bora three years ago.
When Rediff.com contacted Wing Commander Kler, he was traveling from one television studio to another, giving interviews about his friend, who is now in police custody. Sanjeev Khanna and Indrani Mukherjea (left, with her husband Peter Mukherjea) have a daughter, Vidhie, who has been adopted by Peter Mukherjea, Indran's husband.
How long have you known Sanjeev Khanna?
I know him from 1988. He is a courteous man, a generous soul. We went to Mayo College in Ajmer (at different times). We have always shared a warm camraderie. I was a father figure to him. I still can't unravel the mystery. Sanju a murderer? It's unbelievable!
How will you describe him?
Sanju is extremely loving and generous, a helpful friend to everyone around him. He never badmouths anyone. He is very fond of his daughter Vidhie.
Since Vidhie stays in Mumbai, he misses her a lot. To me, he always comes across as a caring father.
But then he allegedly helped his former wife murder her daughter Sheena from another relationship...
That is what foxes me. It seems so unlike him. How can someone so gentle not to hurt even a fly assist a murder? It's simply unacceptable.
Khanna's lawyer pleaded in court that his client was in the car in which Sheena was murdered but was sleeping. Do you think it is plausible?
As it transpires from police reports and media revelations, Indrani is a conniving, manipulative and shrewd individual. It's quite possible that she had drugged both Sanju and Sheena that day.
What if their drinks were tinkered with? Or Indrani could have placed some unavoidable compulsions on Sanju's shoulders that had left him with no option.
What compulsions are you hinting at?
Sanju is very fond of Vidhie, but he hardly gets to see her. Vidhie lives with Indrani and her husband Peter Mukerjea. It's possible for a scheming person like Indrani to squeeze out a 'favour' from her ex-husband using their daughter as bait.
And that 'favour' could be help for murdering someone?
Could be.
Why do you think Khanna, left, was in Mumbai that day?
He could have gone there to meet Vidhie.
Tell us about Indrani. You met her quite often, right?
She appeared to be a strong individual, who was deeply in love with Sanju, at least that's how it appeared after their marriage.
When Vidhie was born, Indrani doted on her and was everything one could ask for in a mother and a wife.
Then one fine morning, we heard that she had dumped Sanju and left for Mumbai with a theatre group led by Alyque Padamsee and that she had taken Vidhie with her. It was shocking!
Did you know that Indrani was married before or had children from her earlier relationships?
No, never! I could never imagine such things. To all of Sanju's friends, Indrani came across as a shy, newly married woman, who was head over heels in love with her husband.
It seems Indrani was adept in keeping a secret too many.
Khanna and you are members of the same Kolkata club -- the Calcutta Cricket & Football Club. What is his reputation there?
Everyone loves him at CCFC. As I said, if anyone is in need, Sanju is the first person to lend a helping hand.
He is a kind soul who wants his friends to be happy.
What is his financial condition? Do you think need for money could have forced him to help Indrani?
Impossible. He has a flourishing business. Sanju has always been pretty well placed. He has a restaurant in central Kolkata. He has been renovating an old palace into a resort with a friend of his in the suburban town of Batanagar.
Money has never been an issue for him.
Did you meet your friend after his arrest?
Yes. I was with him at the police station and also at the court, though I was not allowed to go in.
I wanted to be by his side in these dark hours.
Sanju was calm and in control of his emotions.
He held my hands and thanked me for being there.
Do you think he is guilty?
Every individual is innocent unless proven otherwise. It will be unjust to pass a judgement at this stage. But if investigations reveal that he was involved in Sheena Bora's murder, my faith in humanity will receive a major jolt.
As a law abiding citizen, I must say that no one who had a hand in this heinous crime should be spared.
