Indrani Mukerjea claims 'being framed' in Sheena Bora murder case

Agencies
November 16, 2017

New Delhi, Nov 16: The murder of 24-year-old Sheena Bora took a new and murkier turn on Wednesday as Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused and Sheena's mother, told the special CBI court that her husband Peter Mukerjea might have framed her and sought his call data record.

Though she did not directly accuse Peter — a former media baron — of killing Sheena, Indrani said he and their former driver Shyamwar Rai could be behind her abduction, disposing the body and destroying evidence.

This latest development further complicates the case which came to light in August 2015 when the driver Rai, arrested in an arms case, spilled the beans. Mumbai Police arrested Rai, Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna at the time. Peter Mukerjea was also arrested later. It is alleged that Indrani killed Sheena because she disapproved of her relationship with Peter's son Rahul.

Here's a look at the various versions of Sheena Bora's murder that have emerged during the course of the investigation and trial:

Indrani Mukerjea's version

In her application to the CBI court on Wednesday, Indrani alleged that her husband Peter and others, may have framed her and influenced witnesses and situations that led to her arrest.

"I have strong reasons to believe that Peter, with the assistance of other persons, including (accused turned approver) Shyamwar Rai may have conspired and abducted my daughter Sheena in 2012 and made her untraceable and subsequently destroyed evidence," she said in an application.

Indrani said she believes that Peter and others may have manipulated the situation to frame her and influence witnesses, circumstances and information that led to her arrest "for the heinous crime that they may have committed, aided and abetted".

"I am convinced that if we are able to obtain the call data record of Peter, we will be in a better position to ascertain if Peter and other persons were involved in the disappearance of my daughter Sheena and there will be more clarity if Peter and other persons have a role in framing me," she said in the application.

Driver Shyamwar Rai's version

In October 2017, Rai told the CBI court that Indrani was sitting on Sheena's lap when the murder took place and that he helped muffle her screams. Rai was initially the accused before turning approver for the prosecution and alleged Indrani planned the murder with her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna.

He said though Sheena had bitten his thumb when he covered her mouth with his hand (when she was killed), he didn't take any treatment for it afterwards. After she bit him, Rai said, he took off his hand, but he doesn't know if anybody else tried to cover Sheena's mouth then. Sheena did not make any noise after he had removed his hand, he told the court.

"When I was asked to close Sheena's mouth I did not tell her (Indrani) that I will not do so as my job is that of a driver," Rai told the special CBI judge JC Jagdale.

Earlier in July 2017, Rai claimed that Indrani had informed him that she wanted to kill her daughter Sheena and step-son Mikhail.

Rai said that Indrani told him about her plans to murder her two children via a Skype call and asked for his help. He further added that Indrani wanted to kill both of them as they were maligning her image in the society.

Sheena also threatened to expose the truth that Indrani was their mother and not their sister as the latter had claimed.

CNN-News 18 quoted Rai as saying,"She (Indrani) then asked me to open the garage and the bag carrying Sheena's body. Khanna and I took the bag out and kept it in the back. Madam then asked me to switch off my mobile phone. We then left on the Pen road. She asked me stop at a petrol pump on the road. I stopped the car and got petrol in a can."

Rai further admitted to he helped Indrani get rid of the body in a forest in Raigad: "I along with Indrani and her husband Sanjeev Khanna, left to dispose of Sheena’s body and burnt it in a forest in Gagode village of Raigad district on 24 April, 2012.”

Peter Mukerjea's version

Founder of INX Media, Peter claimed that he was never against Sheena and Rahul's, his son from an earlier marriage, relationship.

Peter earlier said, when Indrani was arrested in August 2015, that he had no knowledge of Sheena being Indrani's daughter. "I’m still holding out a little hope that this is all some big mistake,’ said Peter in his initial statements and that he was ‘dumbstruck by the level of criminality…" according to DNA.

He also claimed to know about the affair between Sheena Bora and his son Rahul Mukherjea and had no qualms about it as both were consenting adults. When initially interrogated by the police, Peter had said that he had no information about the killing and had no direct or indirect connection with it. He also said that he was in Europe in 2012. He added that his wife and driver did not mention anything about the killing. He further added that his son Rahul had told him about the incident but he did not believe him.

He also claimed that he didn't have a clue that Indrani was in touch with her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna, and that Indrani had shown him e-mails from Sheena which were from the US at the time.

CBI's version

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case in September 2015. In its 1,000 page chargesheet, the agency said that Peter was aware of the murder and in constant touch with Indrani prior to, during and after the killing from London.

Both Peter and Indrani were against Sheena and Rahul's relationship and were "equal participants" in the conspiracy to murder her, according to the Hindustan Times. After disposing Sheena's body, Indrani reportedly spoke to Peter for 924 seconds.

The CBI had arrested Indrani, Sanjeev, Rai and Peter in connection with Sheena Bora's murder.

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News Network
March 16,2024

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Budget carrier Air India Express has launched a new fare family, offering travelers the option to save on flight tickets by traveling light, with an increased baggage allowance of up to 40kg or no check-in luggage at all.

The new fare categories, applicable to flights to and from the UAE and other international destinations, are:

•    Xpress Lite
•    Xpress Value
•    Xpress Flex
•    Xpress Biz

Xpress Lite offers cabin baggage-only fares, making it the most economical option for passengers traveling with the airline.

Xpress Value fare includes 15 kg check-in bag fares, while Xpress Flex offers unlimited changes with no change fees. Xpress Biz features business class seats, complimentary meals, and priority services.

A subsidiary of Air India and a part of Tata Group, the airline introduced Xpress Lite on February 20 for UAE passengers who prefer traveling without check-in baggage.

Xpress Biz fares are accessible on all the new Air India Express Boeing 737-8 aircraft. Travelers can benefit from increased baggage allowances of 25kg for domestic flights and 40kg for international flights when booking Xpress Biz fares. This fare offers priority check-in, baggage, and boarding services.

Air India Express is already operating aircraft with Biz seats across 70-plus routes in India.

In a previous interview with a news channel Aloke Singh, managing director of Air India Express, stated that the carrier was looking to increase capacity to the Gulf region, including the UAE, as well as to provide better connectivity to Gulf travelers.
 

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News Network
March 26,2024

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Hyderabad: The K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi faces big questions as shocking allegations of state police officers tapping the phones of then Opposition leaders in Telangana, including current Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, celebrities and businessmen come to the fore.

The surveillance, it is alleged, was also used to blackmail businessmen into contributing huge amounts to the BRS party fund.

The BRS is yet to respond to the allegations.

Three senior police officers have been arrested in this connection and a lookout notice issued against T Prabhakar Rao, former chief of the state intelligence bureau, who is reportedly in the US now.

Police have said two senior officers - Additional Superintendent of Police Bhujanga Rao and Additional Superintendent of Police Thirupathanna - have admitted to illegal surveillance and destruction of evidence.

According to reports, Ravi Paul, a technical consultant with the state intelligence bureau under the then BRS government, had allegedly helped import and set up phone-tapping equipment near the residence of Mr Reddy to listen in on his conversations.

The equipment, it is alleged, was imported from Israel using a software company as the front. No permission from the Centre - a must for such imports - was taken, it is learnt. With this setup, anything spoken within a range of 300 metres could be heard, reports say.

Ravi Paul, it is alleged, set up an office near Mr Reddy's residence and installed the device. Police are set to question him in this connection.

Lookout notices have also been issued for Sharvan Rao, who runs a Telugu TV channel I News, and Radha Kishan Rao, a police officer with the city task force.

The surveillance was not restricted to Opposition leaders. Top businessmen, including real estate dealers and jewellers, and celebrities were also under surveillance. In fact, the tapping of phone conversations led to the divorce of a celebrity couple, reports say.

To add to the BRS's troubles, Chief Minister Reddy has received a complaint from Sharan Chaudhary, a businessman and a BJP leader, alleging that senior police officers kidnapped him last year and forced him to sign off a plot of land to a relative of former minister and BRS leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao.

Mr Chaudhury has alleged that Radha Kishan Rao and senior police officer ACP Umamaheswara Rao kidnapped him on August 21 while he was on his way to office. He has alleged that he was illegally detained and forced to register his property in the name of Vijay, a close relative of the minister. He was also forced to pay ₹ 50 lakh before they let him go.

The businessman has said he had approached the High Court after the incident, but Uma Maheshwar Rao threatened to file false cases against him and forced him to withdraw the petition.

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News Network
March 18,2024

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New Delhi, Mar 18: The Election Commission on Monday afternoon issued orders for the removal of six Home Secretaries - including the top bureaucrats from Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.

The poll panel also directed the transfer of West Bengal's Director-General of Police, the top cop of a state that has seen several instances of poll-related violence in recent years. The poll panel further said a shortlist of three potential replacements had to be prepared and submitted by 5 pm.

The re-shuffle, not an uncommon move by the Election Commission before major polls, also includes the transfer of the Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand Home Secretaries, as well as senior officials attached to the offices of the Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh Chief Ministers.

In addition, Iqbal Singh Chahal, who is Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and other officials in municipalities across Maharashtra, have been removed too.

All of this comes less than a month before the 2024 Lok Sabha poll; the ECI on Saturday said voting will begin on April 19 and run over seven phases till June 1.

This is, in fact, the first bureaucratic re-jig by the ECI since it announced polling dates.

The ECI's move comes after a meeting of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and his two associates, the newly-appointed Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. This step comes as part of the poll panel's commitment to ensure a level playing field for all political parties in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, as well as by-polls for 26 seats in 13 states.

Sources said the personnel removed were found to be holding dual charge in the offices of the respective chief ministers of each state, and this could compromise, or be seen to be compromising, required neutrality, particularly in relation to law-and-order before, during and after polling.

Bengal's ruling Trinamool has not yet reacted to the removal of DGP Rajiv Malik, who is seen by some to be close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party. In the past, the state government has questioned the last-minute re-shuffle of senior civil service and police officials so close to an election, arguing it actually hampers prep work since the new faces need time to adjust to the post.

Bengal has frequently witnessed violence during polling season; in June last year over a dozen people were killed across the state as voting for a panchayat election was underway.

The Trinamool accused the opposition of instigating violence and criticised central forces for their failure to protect voters, while the Congress claimed the state had let thugs loose on the people.

While announcing the dates on Saturday, the Chief Election Commissioner said the poll panel would take a very dim view of any violence during the election. Mr Kumar said the ECI is prepared to come down hard on any such incident. "We're putting political parties on notice," he declared.

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