Indrani Mukerjea: Mumbai society has claws out

Some say they believe he didn’t see it coming and others say it’s impossible.

"Sources" who are close family friends of Indrani and Peter Mukerjea said they were watching the "Sydney Sheldonesque" story unfold with horror. “How could he have been on the one hand a cool logical professional and on the other such a foolish man who kept himself in the dark?” a friend and former colleague asked. An investor in 9X noted that he could easily believe that Peter saw or knew nothing simply because “Peter’s relationship with his wife was to be so completely smitten by her that nothing else mattered. He had turned into a foolish little boy in love,” he said. So much so that Peter, shackled by a non-compete clause from Star, left the running of the business to her. Former colleagues say this was primarily responsible for the messy state of affairs 9X wound up in. A close friend of Peter’s said “he was shamed by his failure and so decided to leave the country” while others in society whispered of them opting for an "early retirement" after having "earned themselves pots of money from the 9X debacle".

Others attributed his giving up his high profile status as one of the country’s top executives and retiring to tinker with bikes in Bristol, England as "all for love". Despite being an HR professional, Indrani’s people skills apparently left much to be desired. Mumbai society says it is hard pressed to find friends of Indrani – “no one really befriended her” one socialite said, or is this just a signature of this ever friendly circuit washing its hands of one who was long a part of it? Though she was professionally highly connected with all top firms and head honchos, for whom she consulted on placements, today there isn’t one connection in the high value network who will stake their reputation on her innocence.