Would have ended trial soon, says Sheena Bora judge after transfer
Special CBI judge H S Mahajan, who was hearing the Sheena Bora case, has been transferred to Aurangabad sessions court. The new judge will hear the case on June 12.
“Co-operate with the new judge, take care of your health and finish the trial fast,” this was Mahajan’s parting advise to the three accused.
Mahajan said that had he continued in the case, he would have finished the trial in two to three months.
He called prime accused Indrani Mukerjea, her husband Peter and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna in the witness box and told them that he has been transferred. This was the first time that Indrani and Peter appeared in the court after the CBI conducted searches at their house as a part of investigation into a case linked to Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, over alleged favours granted in foreign investment clearance to a firm, INX Media, in 2007.
The CBI had searched their house in suburban Worli house on May 16.
In February, the first witness in the case — police subinspector Ganesh Dalvi — had deposed in the court. However, the recording of his evidence could not be completed as the defence raised an objection. Dalvi had arrested accused-turned approver Shyamvar Rai (Indrani’s former driver) in an arms case. It was his arrest that blew the lid off the murder case.
While Sheena was killed on April 24, 2012, the case came to light only in 2015 after Rai was arrested in another case. Sheena’s burnt body was found dumped in a bag in Raigad district near Mumbai. Rai was arrested but he turned an approver last year.