'Was misinformed in Sheena Bora murder case'

Peter Mukerjea and Rakesh Maria

Why was Mumbai's ex-CP Rakesh Maria transferred abruptly during investigations into the Sheena Bora murder case last September? For the first time, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has indicated the reasons behind the development.

Fadnavis told media persons on Saturday that investigators initially informed him that media magnate Peter Mukerjea was not involved in the murder that his wife Indrani and her two accomplices are alleged to have committed in 2012. "I expected the Mumbai Police to be efficient, yet the CBI found Peter's involvement in the case," he said.

Though the CM did not name which officer fed him the wrong information, it is well known that Maria was supervising investigations in the high-profile case and briefing the CM, who also heads the home department.

After Maria's unceremonious transfer (promotion as the DGP, home guards), the probe was handed over to the CBI. The agency examined Maria and two Mumbai police officers involved in the investigation, Deven Bharti and Satya Narayan Choudhary.

Bharti, now joint-commissioner of police, was questioned about getting calls from the Mukerjeas after Sheena went missing. Sources in the police department said Bharti had told the CBI that he never met the Mukerjeas outside his office and the family's concerns were about a British passport held by one of the members.

Sources also said that Maria denied he had tried to protect Peter during the investigations.