Cops probe money trail between Indrani and ex-husband Khanna
NARROW ESCAPE Sheena’s brother Mikhail says he was lured to Mumbai by Indrani; she allegedly gave him a spiked drink at her Worli residence but he managed to flee
MUMBAI: Investigators chasing the elusive motive behind the murder of Sheena Bora were concentrating on financial deals between Indrani Mukerjea, her mother and prime accused, and two accomplices in order to untangle the crime that has riveted the nation.
Officials have struggled to put together the pieces ever since INX media co-founder Indrani was arrested on August 25 in connection with Sheena’s death, three years after the 24-year-old was strangled and her body burnt and dumped in a forest in Raigad.
A Mumbai Police officer said financial transactions between the three accused — the former Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea’s wife, her Kolkata-based former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyam Rai — could lead to the motive.
Police were gathering evidence such as e-tickets booked for Khanna to fly to Mumbai on April 24, 2012, and back to Kolkata the next day as well as documents to establish Indrani booked a room for him at Hilltop Hotel in Worli, where he is said to have stayed.
“The physical evidence, such as e- tickets and transactions made at Hilltop Hotel, will make the case foolproof. These will also stand legal scrutiny,” an officer said. Police have focussed on the time-consuming and painstaking process of collecting finer details of Indrani’s financial exchanges with Khanna and Rai, her driver.
“Bank details and any business ventures started by the accused after Sheena’s murder are being probed,” Mumbai police chief Rakesh Maria said. Khanna’s business ventures after April 2012 are also under scrutiny as it has been suspected that his alleged complicity in the crime brought him a huge payout.
He primarily ran a cable business in Kolkata but launched a hip restaurant, 1658 Bar and Kitchen, spread over 1,500 square feet in the upscale Chowringhee area of the eastern metropolis in the months following Sheena’s disappearance. Police said there was no clarity on how he raised his share in the restaurant business, although it was a joint venture with two other people.
“Indrani bought a flat for Khanna in Howrah around the same time. He was involved in restoring a Rajbari or house of royalty to a heritage resort at Budge Budge in South 24 Parganas district, bordering Kolkata city. Were all these part of the reward for the crime? An inquiry is on,” an officer said.
Investigators will also look at the alleged swindling of ` 150 crore from 9x, the media company run by Indrani, following suspicion that Khanna was among the beneficiaries. >> ATTEMPT TO KILL MIKHAIL
ADDED TO CHARGES,
MUMBAI: Investigators have added the charge of attempt to murder her son Mikhail against INX media co-founder Indrani Mukerjea, her ex- husband Sanjeev Khanna, and driver Shyam Rai, the three accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.
Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria confirmed that attempt to murder charges had been added to the FIR against Indrani. This followed Mikhail Bora’s detailed statement to the Mumbai police saying he had been in Mumbai on April 24, 2012, was staying at Indrani’s Worli residence, and that she had tried to spike his drink.
The section was added after police recovered a suitcase from Indrani’s Worli residence. Khar police officials who questioned both Indrani and Khanna have reason to believe that the plan was to kill Mikhail as well, after earlier attempts to kill him had failed. Mikhail told the police he did not feel well after consuming the drink, but still managed to get out of the Worli flat. It is unclear where Mikhail went from there. He is yet to give any photographs or documents to investigators.
Investigation has also revealed that Indrani ensured Sheena did not communicate with Mikhail when the former INX CEO called him to Mumbai. This was around the time when Indrani allegedly plotted Sheena’s murder. Despite an email to Peter Mukerjea claiming Indrani was his mother, Mikhail did not inform anyone of his presence in Mumbai. Police sources said Sheena and Mikhail were in touch with each other even after the former moved to the city and that it was surprising he did not contact her. After news of the murder broke, Mikhail claimed Indrani had been paying him to ensure he did not reveal that she was his mother.
ALL SKELETON, NO FLESH
MUMBAI: The village official in Raigad district, who helped a team of the Mumbai Police locate the spot where Sheena was allegedly buried, on Sunday said it was just a skeleton, minus any flesh, when he first spotted the body in 2012.