Rakesh Maria had investigated the Sheena Bora murder case but was transferred dramatically (File)
Former Mumbai police chief Rakesh Maria has made sensational revelations about the Sheena Bora murder and his abrupt transfer in the middle of the investigation in his book titled ''Let Me Say It Now''.
Rakesh Maria, 63, has blamed another senior Mumbai police officer, Deven Bharti, for misleading him during the investigation into the murder in which media barons Peter Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea were accused of murdering her daughter from a previous marriage, Sheena Bora.
Mr Maria, who handled high profile cases in his career, like the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes, had investigated the Sheena Bora murder case but was transferred dramatically in the middle of the investigation and informed via an SMS message from then Additional Chief Secretary (Home) KP Bakshi.
Mr Maria has alleged in his book that Deven Bharti never disclosed to him initially that he was acquainted with Peter Mukerjea. He said that he was surprised when Peter Mukerjea referred to the then Joint Commissioner (Law and Order) by his first name, as "Deven".
Mr Maria also raises the suspicion in his book that "someone" had briefed then Chief Minister Devendra Fanavis "wrongly" in his name that Peter Mukerjea was not involved in Sheena Bora's murder.
"When Peter informed that he had reported about Sheena being missing in 2012 to 'Deven', I was surprisingly promoted and transferred as DG (Director General) Home guards. I was informed about my transfer via a text message by the then ACS Home KP Bakshi," Mr Maria said, showing disappointment in the manner he was transferred.
He also raised suspicion over the appointment of his immediate successor Ahmed Javed as Mumbai Police Commissioner and hinted at his links with the Mukerjea family.
Mr Maria has accused the media of targeting him unnecessarily and suspecting he was associated with Peter Mukerjea. "The same media could not find out till date that Deven Bharti was having good relations with Peter and that's why he used to call him with his first name," he writes.
Peter Mukerjea is accused of abetting the murder of Sheena, his step-daughter, over a financial dispute in 2012. The crime surfaced three years later, in 2015, for which he was charged for conspiracy.
Peter Mukerjea's wife Indrani is the prime accused in the case and is currently in Mumbai's Byculla jail. The trial in the case is underway at the special CBI court.