Sources from Raigad police said, that investigations had revealed that Pen cops were in the process of filing an FIR, until a senior official interfered and went as far as asking his junior to tear off the FIR
The inquiry initiated into the alleged negligence of the Raigad police in the Sheena Bora murder case has now put a senior officer in the dock.
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Also read: Sheena Bora murder case - Raigad cops face the heat
The spot where cops recovered Sheena Bora’s skull and other skeletal remains on August 28 in Pen taluka in Raigad district. Pic/Datta Kumbhar
The department discovered an unidentified half-burnt body around 10 am on May 23, 2012 at Gagode Budruk (where Sheena’s body was said to have been dumped), but allegedly filed no case in the matter.
Cops recovered Sheena’s skeletal remains last week near Gagode village in Pen tehsil
Sources from Raigad police said, however, that investigations had revealed that the Pen police were in the process of filing an FIR, until a senior cop interfered and went as far as asking his junior to tear off the FIR.
mid-day had earlier reported how this lack of paperwork could make the case difficult for Mumbai Police (‘Villagers found Sheena’s remains, but Pen cops kept no record’, August 27).
When a body is found, the police are supposed to register at least an accidental death report (ADR) and wait for the post-mortem or forensic reports and accordingly carry out investigations, but none of this paperwork was to be found anywhere in the Sheena Bora case.
Director General of Police Sanjeev Dayal initiated an inquiry into the matter, and the present Superintendent of Police Suvez Haq is leading the probe. The then senior inspector in charge of Pen police station, Suresh Mirage, had noted in the station diary that the investigation in the matter was being overseen by senior official.
According to sources, it was learnt during the probe that the same official had instructed the Pen police to not take any action after discovering Sheena’s body. He allegedly even tore the FIR out before it could be registered completely.
Also read: Sheena Bora murder - Had handed over samples to Pen cops, says doctor
Mirage is one of the cops who is being probed in the inquiry, along with Pradeep Chavan who was then the sub-divisional police officer of Pen, Sandep Dhande, who was sub-inspector then and Raosaheb Shinde, who was then superintendent of police (Raigad) and is now additional commissioner of police, Central region, Mumbai.
mid-day attempted to contact these cops but most remained unavailable for comment. Shinde told this reporter, “I will not talk about Raigad. Let the investigations finish.” DCP Dayal, who had ordered the probe, only said, “Investigations are on.”
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