Sheena Bora murder: Joint interrogation of three key accused underway

Sanjeev Khanna (in mask) in police custody.

Noted journalist Vir Sanghvi, who headed news channel 9X run by INX Media owned by Peter and Indrani till 2009, threw light on Indrani’s personal life in an interview to a news channel. “On Friday, he took us back to that spot which we dug up and collected the samples”, said another officer.

After three years when Mumbai resident Sheena Bora went missing, the police arrested Indrani. “We have just interrogated the third accused (Khanna) and he has confessed to his complicity in this crime”. Express had reported on Thursday that Sheena was pregnant when she was allegedly killed on April 24, 2012. “After discussions inside, I’ll inform you all”.

This week, the mother’s arrest came after a man claiming to be her former driver told police he was an accomplice.

Brought here from Kolkota last night, he was taken to Khar police station where Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria himself joined other officials in questioning the suspects. A forensic analysis of the remains will be crucial to prove the murder in court. “Further inverstigations are going on”, he said. “And that too helped in their investigation into the murder”, the officer said. The partially charred remains were found by local authorities at the time, but no one came forward to identify the victim.

Sanghi added that Indrani had told her that she left her step-father’s house after the incident and moved to Kolkata. Sources said that the engagement was a low-key affair and was attended by a handful of close relative and friends.

A police source said now it has a clear idea of what the possible motive could be.

Peter, who was called for the first time by police after the lid was off the case and it kept taking sensational twists and turns, was questioned for about 10 minutes. Indrani was against this. “But Sheena did not pay heed and continued her relationship with Rahul”, the source claimed. An SUV was booked for April 23 to 25, 2012 by driver Shyam.

Mikhail has said he has no doubts that his mother killed Sheena.

Police said that they received an anonymous tip-off several months ago that Miss Bora had been murdered and Mrs Mukerjea was involved. “If Indrani Mukerjea doesn’t admit to her crime, I will tell cops the exact reason for the murder”. She as well as Khanna have denied the charge.

Besides Khanna and Indrani, her driver Shyam Rai has also been arrested and the trio remanded in police custody till August 31. The DNA matching would determine if this unknown body was Sheena Bora or not.

They said the Mukerjea family had not visited the property for a couple of years, but one neighbour suggested Indrani was there for large parts of 2012, when the murder is thought to have taken place.