No word from CBI over police lapse in Sheena Bora case: Maharashtra Govt

Amid reports that a senior police officer is under scrutiny of the CBI over an apparent lapse in the Sheena Bora murder case, the Maharashtra Government today said they have not yet received any official communication from the investigating agency.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K P Bakshi clarified that a "one-page" report submitted by former state DGP Sanjeev Dayal into alleged botch up by the Raigad police after Sheena's body was first found, was "insufficient" in taking action against any senior police official.

"We have not received any authentic communication from the CBI that they have found a lapse on the part of any police official for either deliberately delaying the case or for destruction of evidence," Bakshi told PTI.

"If we receive some communication, we will see what needs to be done. It all depends on the evidence the CBI provides, the seriousness of the officer's lapse. We will have to see whether it was deliberate or was it just an unintentional lapse," he said.

Bakshi, however, said that if evidence was found to be intentionally destroyed or if there was a deliberate effort in delaying the probe, the government will take immediate action against the erring officer.
A decomposed body in a suitcase, believed to be that of Sheena, was found by police in Raigad district in 2012.

However, the police allegedly did not file any case whatsoever, which has raised suspicions and prompted a departmental inquiry.

"But if it is found that lapses happened unintentionally, or due to lethargy on the part of somebody and is not very serious in nature, we will wait to see what the CBI court says. A joint call will then be taken against the concerned officer," he said.

The bureaucrat said the Disciplinary Authority usually takes a final decision on the action to be taken.

"In the case of an IAS officer, the Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) will decide what has to be done with the officer," he added.

Meanwhile, Bakshi said that until there are supporting documents to back the report on an alleged lapse by Raigad police, no action will be taken against any police official.

"The last DGP (Dayal) submitted a one-page report to us.

I was not satisfied with it. I said supporting documents will be needed to take action against a senior police officer. The new DGP (Pravin Dixit) has been given the responsibility now.

We are expecting a report soon," Bakshi said.

Sheena was the daughter of Indrani Mukerjea, current wife of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, from her first marriage.

She was allegedly murdered by Indrani with the help of the latter's former husband Sanjeev Khanna and her ex-driver Shyamvar Rai.

Besides Indrani, Khanna and Rai, Peter is the fourth accused in the case.