A Maharashtra police inspector, currently posted in Pune, has reportedly said that he was prevented by his senior from filing a case when the skeletal remains of Sheena Bora were discovered in the forests of Raigad more than three years ago.
The Hindustan Times reported quoting sources on Thursday that inspector Subhash Mirge, who was then posted at Pen police station, alleged that he was asked not to file an FIR by the then superintendent of police of Raigad, RD Shinde. The area from where Sheena's remains were found comes under the jurisdiction of Pen police station.
The inspector's statement was recorded as part of a departmental inquiry which found lapses on part of the Pen police station officials in failing to register a case when the remains were found in May 2012.
The report, submitted to the director general of police (DGP) of Maharashtra by Raigad SP Suvez Haq last week, found Mirge and deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Suresh Chavan guilty of "failing to discharge their duty", the HT reported.
DGP Sanjeev Dayal, who had ordered the inquiry on August 28, is now likely to take a call on questioning IPS officer Shinde on Mirge's claim as SP Haq was not entitled to do that, according to the report.
The HT report, citing the Raigad SP's report, says Mirge, sub-inspector Sandeep Dhande and other officials had visited the spot where a decomposed body was found in a burnt suitcase on May 23, 2012. Later DSP Chavan also reached the spot.
However, after speaking to Shinde, Mirge told DSP Chavan and SI Dhande that the SP had said there was no need to register a case and the police team buried some articles found at the spot and sealed some others.
The 24-year-old Sheena Bora was allegedly murdered by her mother Indrani Mukerjea, her ex husband Sanjeev Khanna and her former driver Shyam Rai in a car in April 2012 in Mumbai. DNA tests conducted on the skeletal remains confirmed that it belonged to Sheena and that she was the daughter of Indrani, who is presently the wife of TV tycoon Peter Mukerjea.
The investigation into the high profile case was being directly monitored by the then Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria, who was in a surprise move removed from the post last month.
