Sheena Bohra

RA Journal of Applied Research
||Volume||1||Issue||08||Pages-322-336||Sept -2015|| ISSN (e): 2394-6709

www.rajournals.in DOI : 10.18535/rajar/v1i8.05
Alleged Murder In Complex Intrafamilial Relationship: Media

Speculations And Its Aftermath”
Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1 MD,DNB,PhD trainee,
Asst Professor & HOD, Deptt of Psychiatry, Murshidabad Medical College & Hospital,Berhampore,West
Bengal, India.
Corresponding author: Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya. MD, DNB (Psychiatry).
Assistant Professor & Head of the Department, Deptt of Psychiatry, Murshidabad Medical College &
Hospital, West Bengal, India.
29,Anandasree,Garia,Near Boral TB Hospital,Kolkata-700084, India.
Email: rankholders06@yahoo.co.in/drrbcal@gmail.com
ABSTRACT: precipitating factors can only be predicted as the

investigation is still under progress.
Background: The alleged murder of daughter by
media tycoon mother with suppression of fact for Conclusions: Every day the mystery of the case is
three years revealed and widely circulated in being unfolded with extraordinary media hype.
media in last few weeks. Almost every leading The irresistible curiosity of human mind to find
print and electronic media highlighted and the newer angle of this alleged murder story and
broadcasted the news in prime time. cut-throat competition between the media made
this case to reach in a new height. In the twist of
Methods: The narration of the event with media the tail of this event while drafting the report the
reports and introspection in the realm of commissioner of police of Mumbai get transferred
psychological and forensic aspects has been made. which further ignited more media attention.
The chronological events with drawing of family
tree have been done in attempt to simplify the KEY WORDS: Intrafamilial relationship, business
complex intra-familial relationship. The defense tycoon, alleged murder, abandonment, media
mechanisms and psychological perspectives coverage.
behind this suspected murder case has been Acknowledgement: The author is indebted to
explored. discuss with the key personals, professional
Results: The separation from biological father in colleagues, and other experts, news published and
early childhood and lack of proper attachment broadcasted in the print and electronic media,
with mother figure may have caused unresolved social networking sites and blogs.
Oedipus complex. With transition from Disclaimer: Majority of the information gathered
adolescence to adulthood the hatred to mother are from media sources which don’t reflect the
with multiple relationships get intensified. The author’s own opinion.
alleged murder and the predisposing and
Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 322

A big businessman and television from,” Special Public Prosecutor Mr VB said.

network owner family is in controversy and big Police further mentioned three emails they
trouble as Mrs IM, the owner of various media claimed to have recovered from Mrs IM’ mail
houses who was holding important portfolios has account, dating to March 8, May 4 and August 7,
been arrested by Mumbai Police crime branch in 2012. Without disclosing their contents, Police
the charge of alleged murder of her daughter Ms Prosecutor Mr LR said, “Printouts have been
SB with disposal of the body in Raigad in 2012 taken (of the mails) in the presence of panch
according to media sources. The Mumbai Police witnesses.” Sources said the May 4, 2012, email
probing the Ms SB murder case have learnt from could pertain to Mrs IM instructing an employee
the Forensic Science Laboratory that 8 of the 10 of her firm to forge Ms SB’s signature. Seeking
codes from DNA extracted from the skeletal custody of the accused, police said they needed to
remains found at Pen and accused IM blood check Mrs IM’s bank accounts as they had come
samples have matched. To conclude that the to know that she may have used a credit card to
skeletal remains belong to Ms SB, police sources pay for the items used in the alleged murder.
said, the FSL would have to complete the tests on Police informed court that the car suspected to
another eight codes. The police are expecting a have been used in the crime had been traced to
report from the FSL Monday. The police had sent Khoparkhairane in Navi Mumbai and that samples
the skeletal remains found at Pen, along with taken from it had been sent to Kalina Forensic
blood samples of Mrs IM and Ms SB, brother Mr Sciences Laboratory (FSL) for examination.
MB, to the state FSL last week. The forensic Opposing the extension of Khanna’s police
report will play an important part for the police to custody, his lawyer Mr SM said police had not
prove the charges against the accused Mrs IM, her mentioned any grounds on which Mr SK’s
former husband Mr SK and former driver Mr SR. custody was required. “All the points mentioned
in the remand application pertain to Mrs IM.
Meanwhile, a day before her police Further investigation of Mr SK is not required,”
custody ends (on September 7), the police took he argued. Mrs IM’s lawyer GM, who was granted
her to fourth-floor residence in Worli in private consultation with her — but within
connection with the probe. Mrs IM entered the eyesight of police personnel at Khar police station
gates of Marlow Housing Society on Sir — said police had failed to provide any evidence
Pochkanwala Road, Worli, at 4.03 pm Sunday and of her alleged guilt. “A person is innocent until
stayed there for more than an hour. 1 proven guilty, but police are using the principle of
Mrs IM, Mr SK and their former driver Mr guilty when arrested. Police are manipulating the
SR were remanded to police custody until 7 th investigation and creating things. There is no hard
September. Police also claimed that Mrs IM had evidence on record,” she said. 2
set up a fake account of Ms SB and sent several
The bodyguard of a Kolkata-based
emails from it to unidentified individuals, in
which Ms SB wrote that she was doing well in the businessman, who was on Thursday picked up by
US. “We have to speak to the nodal officer of the the Mumbai Police in connection to Ms SB’s
internet protocol service provider and gather more murder, on Sunday denied that he knew media
information about where the emails were sent baron Mr PM and his wife Mrs IM, the deceased’s

mother, who is the main accused in the case. Mr The Mumbai Police told a local court on
SS, who runs a security business, was picked up Saturday that the plot to kill Mr MB was hatched
from businessman Mr AS’s Queen’s Park by Mrs IM and her former husband Mr SK in
residence in South Kolkata and was questioned on Kolkata in 2012. MB’s sister SB is alleged to have
Friday at Mumbai’s Khar police station. Late been killed by the two the same year. 4 Mr MB
Saturday, he returned to his Beleghata residence in had told police last week that he was served an
Kolkata. Mr AS is reportedly a friend of Mr PM. alcoholic beverage mixed with a poisonous
On Saturday, the Mumbai Police had told a local substance in Worli in 2012, but had got suspicious
court that the plot to kill Ms SB’s brother Mr MB and escaped. Mr MB had told police that he was
was hatched by Mrs IM and her former husband served an alcoholic beverage mixed with a
Mr SK in Kolkata in 2012. Ms SB is alleged to poisonous substance in Worli in 2012, but had got
have been killed by the two the same year. The suspicious and escaped. The Mumbai Police told a
application filed by the Khar police station stated local court on Saturday that the plot to kill Mr MB
that preparations were made by Mrs IM and Mr was hatched by Mrs IM and her former husband
SK to kill Mr MB in Kolkata. Investigations had Mr SK in Kolkata in 2012. According to an
to be carried out in Kolkata as a result, police said. application filed by the Khar police station on
Saturday in the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate
Sources said the Mumbai Police was also Court, preparations had been made by Mrs IM and
trying to find out if there was anyone else in the Mr SK to kill Mr MB in Kolkata. Investigations
car used in the crime apart from Mrs IM, Mr SK had to be carried out in Kolkata as a result, police
and driver Mr SPR. It was the wife of Mr SD had said.
received a text message on Thursday afternoon
from her husband saying he was being taken to the Police told court that Mrs IM had forged
airport. When he did not return in 24 hours, his Ms SB’s signature on the letter sent in her name to
family went to the office of Mr AS on Friday the owner of an apartment in Marol, Andheri East,
evening but could not meet him. Following this, terminating her rent agreement. She is believed to
they went to the police. At Taltala police station, a have shared the apartment with Mr RM, the son of
general diary was recorded with wife of Mr SD Mrs IM’s husband Mr PM. 5 Police also claimed
claiming that he has been taken away by Mumbai that she had set up a fake account of her daughter
Police. Claiming that the media was publishing and sent several emails from it to unidentified
erroneous reports, which were affecting his individuals, in which her daughter wrote that she
reputation, Mr SD said: “Publishing houses are was doing well in the US. “We have to speak to
printing whatever they wanted. My family is the nodal officer of the internet protocol service
getting affected. The neighbours are looking at us provider and gather more information about where
with suspicious eyes and I am being subjected to a the emails were sent from,” Special Public
lot of social ignominy. This is why I had decided Prosecutor Mr VB said.
to speak to you (mediapersons) directly,” he said.
3 Police further mentioned three emails they
claimed to have recovered from Mrs IM’s mail
account, dating to March 8, May 4 and August 7,
2012. Without disclosing their contents, Police
Prosecutor Mr LR said, “Printouts have been BRIEF PERSONAL LIFE AND CAREER
taken (of the mails) in the presence of panch OF MRS IM
witnesses.”Sources said the May 4, 2012, email
could pertain to Mrs IM instructing an employee Mrs IM was born 1972 in Guwahati to Mr
of her firm to forge Ms SB’s signature. Seeking UKB and Mrs DRB. After completing school in
custody of the accused, police said they needed to Guwahati, she moved to Shillong to pursue higher
check Mrs IM’s bank accounts as they had come education. In 1986 she met Mr SD with whom she
to know that she may have used a credit card to had a daughter, Ms SB, in February 1987 and a
pay for the items used in the alleged murder. son, Mr MB, in September 1988. Mr SD in an
Police informed court that the car suspected to interview said that he was not married to Mrs IM
have been used in the crime had been traced to and that the two children were born out of
Khoparkhairane in Navi Mumbai and that samples wedlock. 9 In 1990 Mrs IM left the children under
taken from it had been sent to Kalina Forensic the care of her parents in Guwahati and moved to
Sciences Laboratory (FSL) for examination. Kolkata. A few months after her move to Kolkata,
Opposing the extension of Mr SK’s police she met Mr SK. They got married in 1993 and had
custody, his lawyer Mr SM said police had not a daughter named Ms VK in 1997. In 2001 they
mentioned any grounds on which custody of Mr moved to Mumbai. In 2002, Mrs IM met Mr PM
SK was required. “All the points mentioned in the and moved in with him while awaiting her divorce
remand application pertain to Mrs IM. Further from Mr SK. In November 2002, Mrs IM married
investigation of Mr SK is not required,” he Mr PM. After this marriage Ms VK moved in with
argued. Mrs GM, lawyer of Mrs IM, who was them. In 2005 Mrs IM introduced her children, Ms
granted private consultation with her — but within SB and Mr MB, to Peter as her younger siblings.
eyesight of police personnel at Khar police station The daughter was legally adopted by Mr PM. In
— said police had failed to provide any evidence 2006 Ms SB also moved in with them. Since April
of her alleged guilt.“A person is innocent until 2012 Ms SB was not seen again.10
proven guilty, but police are using the principle of
guilty when arrested. Police are manipulating the In 1996 Mrs IM founded INX Services
investigation and creating things. There is no hard Private Limited as a recruitment company in
evidence on record,” she said. 6 Kolkata and in 2001 she moved to Mumbai where
her recruitment firm considered Reliance
Mrs IM is a former HR consultant and Industries as her most important client which also
media executive. She is the wife of Mr PM, a handled recruitment for STAR India.In 2005, the
retired Indian television executive.7 In 2007 she firm formed a partnership with IMD International
co-founded INX Media with her husband, where Search Group ( Switzerland based), which
she took on the role of CEO. In 2009 she resigned appointed her as its regional director, Asia Pacific.
from the company and later sold her stake in it. In 11,12
In March 2007 Mr PM and Mrs IM became
August 2015, she was arrested by Mumbai Police promoters of the INX Group and Mrs IM was
and charged as the main accused in the alleged appointed chairperson of INX Group.They held a
murder of her daughter, Ms SB (Fig 2). 8 50% stake in INX Media. 13

In November 2008, The Wall Street that she had gone to the United States for higher
Journal named Mrs IM as one of 50 Women to studies and hence a missing First Information
Watch.14 With the company running out of cash Report was never filed. When Mr RM questioned
and outstanding payments to creditors mounting, Mrs IM as the passport of Mr SB was in his
they resigned from their management positions. In custody to which Mrs IM told him that they got
March 2009 Mrs IM left her husband following a "another passport" made for her.18
month later. 15 In 2008 two executives at INX
Group filed legal notices claiming fraud by the KILLING AND AFTERMATH
organization. In 2008 Mrs IM, as the chairperson
of INX News, wanted greater control of the Mrs IM after the arrest was produced before the
organization and found herself in conflict with Mr Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate court, which
VS, the CEO.16 On 25 August 2015 Mrs IM was remanded her in police custody. On August 26,
arrested by Mumbai Police in connection with the 2015 the ex-husband of Mrs IM, Mr SK was
alleged murder of her daughter in 2012. She was arrested in Kolkata and charged under sections
charged under sections 302 (murder), 201 364 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), 201 (causing
(causing disappearance of evidence) and 34 disappearance of evidence) and 120-B
(criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. For four
(IPC). 17 months, preceding the arrests, Mumbai Police had
kept Mrs IM under surveillance. On 23 May 2012,
MS SB EARLY LIFE, FAMILY local Police officials found a decomposed body on
HISTORY AND DISAPPEARANCE the crime spot after villagers complained of foul
odor. The police was unable to identify the dead-
Ms SB, an executive working for Mumbai Metro body and sent the recovered skeletal remains to JJ
One based in Mumbai went missing on April 24, Hospital in Mumbai. The Forensic Science
2012. She moved to Mumbai in 2006 and was Laboratory has confirmed on September 7th that
introduced by Mrs IM to everyone as her younger the DNA samples of skeletal remains found from
sister. She graduated from St. Xavier's College, Raigad forest are that of Ms SB and they match
Mumbai and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with the DNA of Mrs IM. The police had last
(2006-2009). In 2009, she joined Reliance week exhumed remains of the body and FSL
Infrastructure as a management trainee. In June report now stated that digital superimposition of
2011 Ms SB joined Mumbai Metro One as an the profile of Ms SB had matched with the skull
assistant manager. During her initial days in recovered from the forest. 19
Mumbai, she got introduced to Mr RM, son of Mr
PM and the duo had a romantic relationship The various statements of important key personal
leading to cohabitation from 2009 to 2012 which as well as accused of the case are given below
Mrs IM did not approve. On 24 April 2012, Ms (Table 3)
SB took leave of absence and while she was on
leave, she "sent in her written resignation". On the Statement of Mr RM, CP, Mumbai.
same day, Mr RM received a breakup SMS from
the mobile phone of Ms SB. Her mother claimed

Mr RM, Mumbai Police commissioner, told the Mr RM, son of Mr PM was questioned three times
press that a fair idea behind motive of murder in a span of 24 hours about his long relationship
has been found. Mrs IM had gotten a third person with Ms SB, his step-mother Mrs IM, why he
to forge the signature of Ms SB in her resignation didn't pursue the "missing person" complaint filed
letter to the company she worked in and to her after Ms SB disappeared and other related aspects.
landlord. According to CP, with regard to the According to reports that Mr RM told the police
resignation letter, letter to landlord, tracing and that after her disappearance he did try to look for
interrogating the forged signatory and confirming her and get in touch with her but he remained
all the theories the Mumbai Police is satisfied with unsuccessful. He also told the police that his
the brisk pace of investigation in this high profile parents told him she had gone to study abroad.
case. He also told the media that, the skeletal Later, he was escorted to his two flats in Khar and
remains of Ms SB were recovered today and sent Bandra where he and Ms SB spent time together.
23,24
for DNA test. He also acknowledged that her
passport had been recovered from Dehradun. 20,21
Statement of Mr MB.
Statement of Mr UKB, the grandfather of the
victim. Mr MB (Fig 1), brother of Ms SB confirmed the
fact that Mrs IM was their mother. When asked
Mr UKB too disputed his daughter's claim that whether Mrs IM and Ms SB had any reason for
murdered Ms SB was his daughter."She is not my conflict, he said, "Yes, many times." However, he
daughter. I am her grandfather," 80-year-old refused to specify what the arguments between the
grandpa, whose name was said to have been given two were regarding. He told MEDIA that he didn't
by Mrs IM as father in the birth certificate of Ms believe that the murder had anything to do with
SB born in February, 1989.He acknowledged Mr property or money. “I want her to reveal
SD, the first husband of Mrs IM as biological everything herself. If she lies, I will give all
father of Ms SB and Mr MB. evidences. I have all the evidence and photos. I
will provide it to the media," he said. He also
Statement of Mr SK. reportedly said to media that his sister had been
living with him and his grandparents in Guwahati
The Mumbai Police on Thursday got a five-day for a long time and Mrs IM had been living in
transit remand for Mr SK and according to Mumbai. He said that Ms SB had gone to Mumbai
television reports; he has admitted that he was for higher study after which she had been working
present in the car on the day of murder. in Mumbai. In 2012 she came back to Guwahati
ACCORDING TO MEDIA SOURCES, MR SK for the wedding of her friend. After that she
reportedly told the police that he was inside the disappeared. Mr MB said that whenever he asked
car in which Ms SB was murdered, but did not his mother about his elder sister he used to
confess to the killing. This was confirmed by receive vague answers from mother like she was
public prosecutor Mr SG. 22 abroad and had got a job there. As he was
dependent on funds from Mrs IM to take care of
Statement of Mr RM. his ailing grandparents and alleged drinking habits

and his stake was vulnerable on asking too many them."When she disappeared in 2012, I was told
questions he remained silent over years. In that she was studying in the US. I asked her and
Guwahati, Mumbai policemen questioned him and she showed me pictures of Ms SB at a Diwali
he told them that he will be the next victim after function there," According to media reports he
his sister if he visits Mumbai for the murder said: "I am dumbstruck by this level of
probe. “I do not know. I may be the next target of criminality." 29
my mother. She is very powerful. She can do
anything she wants," he told the media. "I can go The Statement of SPR, the driver.
to Mumbai only if the Assam government ensures
that two nurses take care of my (ailing) Mr SPR, the driver acknowledged that he had
grandparents. They are both in their 80s and been paid INR 1 lakh and in his statement said
suffering from dementia," he said. 25,26 that the murder was pre-planned. Allegedly Mrs
IM had done a recce of the dumping ground an
Statement of Mr SD. evening before the murder. On 24 April 2012, Mr
SK flew down to Mumbai and checked in Hotel
A week into the increasingly convoluted Ms SB Hilltop at Worli. She had rented Opel Corsa for
murder mystery, her biological father Mr SD has the abduction, killing and for disposing off the
been tracked down and finally spoke up (Fig 3). In body. She had earlier asked her daughter to meet
a brief interview he opened up about Mrs IM, his her on the evening of 24 April 2012 but she was
children, and his relationships with all three of reluctant. On the evening of 24 April 2012
them. In response to a question about whether he (around 18:00 hours), Mrs IM picked up her ex-
thinks Mrs IM was capable of killing Sheena, he husband Mr SK from his hotel in Worli. Ms SB
said it was possible, citing her penchant for the was dropped off by Mr RM near National College
"high life". “There’s a chance (she did it),” said on Linking Road in Bandra around 1900 hours
Mr SD, adding, “She was money-minded of where she was met by her mother sitting in the
course. She always had ambitions for better living front seat, stepfather sitting beside her on back
and high society.”In an television interview, Mr seat. She was taken in to one of the by-lanes in
SD said that if Mrs IM had killed their daughter, Bandra where Mr SK strangulated her. After the
"she should be hanged.” 27,28 murder, her body was taken to Mrs IM’s house on
Worli where the body was put in a bag and stuffed
The Statement of Mr PM. in the boot of the car. The same night (early
morning of 25 April 2012), all three accused
Mr PM claimed that in media that he was unaware drove to village Gagode in Pen tehsil, Raigad with
of the whole ordeal and was in a 'state of shock'. dead-body through the highway. At 4:00 am on 25
Reacting to the revelations, he said to MEDIA April 12, the accused dragged the dead body out
that he had no clue whatsoever about this fact. Mr of the car in an isolated spot in the forest, stuffed
PM claimed that Ms SB had an affair with his it in the bag, poured petrol over the bag and set it
younger son Mr RM and which was disliked by ablaze (Table 2). 30,31,32
Mrs IM. He said that he did not know about the
conversations between Ms SB and Mrs IM used to Theories behind the murder.
be in Assamese, and so he did not understand
According to some media, Mr PM and Mrs audited which was find irregular." Ms SB alleged
IM had siphoned a lot of money from INX media, murder case has been in the limelight for the last
a company they later stepped down from. To few days due to its twists and turns and shocking
avoid suspicion, a lot of this money had been revelations. The intrafamilial relationship has been
transferred to their relatives' accounts. One of described in the flowchart here (Table 1). It makes
those accounts may have belonged to Ms SB, who Mrs IM and Ms SB as mother-daughter as well as
later refused to return the money. As per this stepsisters (Fig 4) and Mr RM and Ms SB were in
media report "Singapore based company Temasek a romantic relationship actually became brother-
invested in the media company and after the sister. 33
global recession, Temasek got the media company
Table 1: Flow chart of intrafamilial relationship.
Mrs IM (43): Founder of

the INX media network
Mr PM (59): Former CEO of

Mr SD: 1st husband of Mr S.K: Businessman reputed TV channel and 3rd
Mrs IM & father of Mr and 2nd husband of Mrs husband of Mrs IM since
MB and deceased Ms IM. 2002.
SB,
Ms SB: (24 at the time of Mr MB: The son of Mr Mr RM: son of Mr PM

death), daughter of Mrs SD & Mrs IM. from previous
IM, introduced to Mr PM marriage.
as her sister.
In a relationship disliked by Mrs IM.
Table 2: The chronology of crime

Crime
Date
Ms SB takes a leave of absence from work at
April 24, 2012 Mumbai Metro and sends a resignation letter
to her employer. She is not heard since then.

Police find a decomposed body after villagers

May 23, 2012 at Gagode in Pen tehsil, Maharashtra,
complain of foul odour.
Mr SPR is arrested following the seizure of a

August 21, 2015 7.63-bore pistol from him.
Mrs IM opened up that Ms SB was her

August 26, 2015 daughter from a previous marriage and not
sister as maintained.
Mr SK, a Kolkata based businessman and ex-

August 27, 2015 husband of Mr IM was arrested from
Kolkata. Mr SPR, the driver of Mrs IM,
confessed that he murdered Ms SB and
disposed of her body, on the direction of his
masters.
Mr SK confessed to his "complicity in the

Aug 28, 2015 crime." He had earlier said that, the body of
Ms SB was lying next to him in a car in
which they were travelling together in
Mumbai on April 24, 2012.
Maharashtra Police has ordered a probe into

Aug 29, 2015 why the Raigad Police did not register an
Accidental Death Report (ADR) after they
found a burnt corpse, suspected to be of Ms
SB, in 2012.
Table 3: The statements reported in media 34

Mr SPR Discloses that he, Mrs IM and Mr SK

together strangulated Ms SB inside a car on
April 24, 2012. The car with the body inside
is parked in garage till the next day when the
body is burnt and dumped.
Says he knows the “exact reason” for which
Mr MB his sister was murdered and reveals that Ms
SN was Mrs IM’s daughter and not sister as
had been made public.
Accepts that Ms SB was her daughter.

Mrs IM
Mr PM Says he never knew Ms SB was Mrs IM’s

daughter but knew that she was in a
relationship with Mr RM, and that Mrs IM
disapproved the relationship.
DISCUSSION:
personal loss and hatred and unresolved Electra
Globally, it's a crime that baffles complex ( term coined by Carl Gustav Jung,
psychiatrists over decades. Since the 1950s, there opposite of Freudian Oedipus complex) they
have been attempts to understand motivation for suddenly change from being devoted mother to a
killing one's own child. It's not as if we haven't murderer and usually perform violent methods
heard of controversial cases involving mothers: In with weapons like knives or guns. However
2008 Aarushi Talwar case and the Nirupama psychosexual angle had not been proved as yet as
Pathak murder case of 2010 sensationalized by the per media evidences. Those parents, who kill their
media. According to Dr Manju Mehta, former children by neglect or accidentally, tend to be
head of child psychology of AIIMS, New Delhi, younger, coming from lower socioeconomic
Most mothers who kill their children usually are background and usually commit the crime by
suffering from mental illness like severe strangulation or smothering,. Many such women
depression, personality disorders, unexpressed have borderline personality disorders and unable
anger, intense frustration and stress in their lives. to control their rapid mood shifts, constant
Usually, women who purposefully kill their emotional swings between inappropriate intense
children tend to be older. With some kind of

rage and sadness, unstable relationships, erratic raw footage contradictory, confusing, testimony
self-image and acute fear of abandonment. 35 extracted by the media from some of the main
protagonists, as well as mostly unnamed relatives,
Researchers say that the brain appears to neighbours and family friends Fig 5). Words like
process aggression and violence through its deviant, debauched and dysfunctional, uttered
reward circuits and people tend to view violent with saintly facial expressions and tones of deep
crimes, especially murder, as an intellectual relish, dominate studio patter. Trite comparisons
challenge that stirs them into wondering about the are being aired every day between “good mothers”
victim, the perpetrator and the circumstances. and “bad mothers”. Much of this chit-chatting
"They don't have to personally experience the loss crowd has, of course, already convicted Mrs IM
or suffering of the murder victim, but can for killing her daughter well before she has even
experience the chills down the spine, the been formally charge-sheeted. The same media
revulsion, the disgust and the horror," said Ruth that has hauled up and judged almost every
Penfold-Mounce, a sociologist at the University of member of Mrs IM’s complicated extended family
York in the UK who has studied public obsession (Fig 1), with rent-a-quote professionals, minor
with death and murder.“People wonder about the Bollywood actors and chick lit novelists holding
circumstances, they search for reasons why they forth on “What do you think X is hiding, and do
are not likely to find themselves in a similar you think Y is guilty?” This is also the media
situation or why they do not face a similar threat," that’s been airing on front pages and prime time
said Paul Mattiuzzi from Sacramento, California, the so-called “incest theory” about the case, based
an expert in criminal forensic psychology. The on leaks from police investigators who are clearly
most heinous of crimes coupled with the rich and loathe to put this spicy stuff on record, but not
famous double the impact," Penfold-Mounce said. perturbed about having it out in the ether. This
But extremely violent crimes can generate “incest theory” contradicted by a welter of other
sustained interest even without celebrity theories in the public domain carelessly shreds the
involvement. Researchers cite the 1993 Lorena reputation of Mr UCB, an 80-year old bedridden
Bobbit case in the US, an incident in which man in Guwahati, who has actually had, according
Lorena severed her husband John's penis with a to a report a TV cameraperson climbing up to his
kitchen knife. "Neither person was famous at the window (to avoid his guards) to ask him
time, but the nature of the domestic crime was so questions. Some media already found the
sensational that it dominated the news media for psychodynamics by telecasting the breaking news
years," said Crawford. The murder of Aarushi that “not many know Mrs IM had a traumatic
Talwar, a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Noida in May childhood in a dysfunctional family and was often
2008, and the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old whipped by her drunken father.”
trainee physiotherapist in Delhi in December 2012
are also crimes that have generated intense public
ROLE OF MEDIA
attention without celebrity victims or perpetrators.
36
Back in the day when the Aarushi case was
Much of it is based on crude judgments, playing out, with a similarly insatiable quest for
extrapolated at speed from what is an essentially the salacious, some journalists were part of the

minority that took a stand against trial by media tail, the CP of Mumbai Mr RM got promoted and
and the purveying of smut. Some media are new CP Mr AJ promises to give impetus on the
searching out, in explicit detail, the “incest angle”. investigation. Mr SK, ex-husband of Mrs IM
The media is aggressive for their own meanwhile has been remanded to judicial custody
competitiveness and quest for gaining TRP. There till September 21 by the court. 38 The
is also the little matter of a legal proscription on psychological trauma on repetitive telecast of such
revealing the identity of victims of sexual abuse. shocking incident can affect the vulnerable
Ever since this crime being covered by electronic individuals. For psychological well being at large
and print media, the social networking sites and it is recommended that the media should be
blogs are being flooded with comments due to responsible with proper coverage.
curiosity and attraction of the case with criticism
of media directly or by posts in blogs and sites full REFERENCES:
of satire. The SB murder may well replace the
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net-searched case few years back causing mental na-murder-case-indranis-custody-ends-
trauma and agony to the accused before the monday-forensic-results
verdict itself. As before, the media seems to feel awaited/#sthash.0sMyDBby.dpuf last
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sheena-bora-murder-cast-and-plot-of-a-
FIGURES
Fig 2: Mrs IM produced in the court

Fig 1: Mr MB, brother of Ms SB

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RA Journal of Applied Research

||Volume||1||Issue||08||Pages-322-336||Sept -2015|| ISSN (e): 2394-6709

Alleged Murder In Complex Intrafamilial Relationship: Media

ABSTRACT: precipitating factors can only be predicted as the

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 322

A big businessman and television from,” Special Public Prosecutor Mr VB said.

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 323

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 325

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 326

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 327

Table 1: Flow chart of intrafamilial relationship.

Mrs IM (43): Founder of

Mr PM (59): Former CEO of

Ms SB: (24 at the time of Mr MB: The son of Mr Mr RM: son of Mr PM

In a relationship disliked by Mrs IM.

Table 2: The chronology of crime

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 329

Police find a decomposed body after villagers

Mr SPR is arrested following the seizure of a

Mrs IM opened up that Ms SB was her

Mr SK, a Kolkata based businessman and ex-

Mr SK confessed to his "complicity in the

Maharashtra Police has ordered a probe into

Table 3: The statements reported in media 34

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 330

Mr SPR Discloses that he, Mrs IM and Mr SK

Accepts that Ms SB was her daughter.

Mr PM Says he never knew Ms SB was Mrs IM’s

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 331

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 332

The media is safe because almost no fear 4. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 333

mikhail-in- 16. "Vir Sanghvi quits Mukerjea's NewsX as

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 334

28. "Siddhartha Das interview". First post. reallife-soap-opera/article7586487.ece last

Fig 2: Mrs IM produced in the court

Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, 1, RAJAR Volume 1 Issue 8 Sept 2015 335

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