All three charged under 8 sections of the IPC.
By Dileep Thekkethil
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday started the investigation into the murder of Sheena Bora after the Maharashtra government requested the central agency to take over the case from the Mumbai police.
On day one, CBI registered a case against former media tycoon Indrani Mukerjea – mother of Sheena Bora, her driver Shyam Rai and her ex-husband Sanjiv Khanna under eight sections of the IPC, including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120-B (Criminal conspiracy ).
The other charges slapped against the accused include Section 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), Section 201, 202, 203 (destruction of evidence and giving false information), and Section 2 (25) of the Arms Act.
Earlier during the investigation, the Mumbai police had arrested the three accused who allegedly conspired against Sheena Bora, murdered her and later disposed of her body in a deserted forest area in Mumbai’s Raigad district.
The investigation of the Mumbai police fell on rough terrain after Additional Director General Rakesh Maria left the investigation mid-way after he got a promotion transfer while the probe was at a crucial stage. Maria was criticized for taking a personal stand in the case, putting the accused and their family members through intense questioning.
The immediate reason for his transfer in believed to be the rigorous interrogation of the media baron and the current husband of Indrani, Peter Mukerjea, who was asked to appear before the investigating team for three consecutive days.
The murder of Sheena Bora allegedly took place three years ago. All three are accused of murdering Sheena by strangulating her, then cutting her into pieces, stocking it in a suitcase and later burning it in the forest to destroy evidence.
Indrani is also facing a separate case for attempting to murder Mikhail Bora – Sheena’s sibling – by giving him spiked drinks. Mikhail had told media that he was fortunate to be alive as he left the place early on the fatal day his sister got murdered.
The murder came to light when a former police officer overheard Shyam Rai talking about the murder to his friend in a bar and after which he was taken by the police officers to the secret burial site inside forest where the police unearthed skeletal remains.