The ex-cop, media honcho and ex-Commissioner of Police hold old ties that could be vital to the case’s future
Mumbai: Two days after the arrest of well-known media premier Peter Mukerjea for participation in the brutal murder of his stepdaughter Sheena Bora, another mystery emerged into the hands of the CBI. An Assistant Police inspector, Sohail Buddha, had taken voluntary retirement from public service to join the Star TV administration as a Vice President of Security in 2003, working in close conjunction with the then President, Peter Mukerjea. Moreover, Buddha had worked with Rakesh Maria in the ’93 blasts case in the late 90s as a part of his handpicked squad.
This trail of loose links further involves Shyamvar Rai, and accused in the case, the chauffeur of Indrani Mukerjea, the main culprit in her daughter, Bora’s murder and Peter’s wife. after resigning from the Mukerjeas’ duty in 2012, Rai had found a new employer in Buddha and was still under his employ, when he was arrested in August this year. Although the charge on Rai in the case has been reduced to the illegal possession of a gun, it was this discovery that had introduced the world to this dark case in the first place.
Moreover, a complaint against the driver had been registered at the Khar police station, where Buddha was last employed alongside many of his colleagues, who also pledged close relations to Rakesh Maria at that time. This includes senior police inspector Dattatrya Bargude, assistant commissioner of police Sanjay Kadam, inspector Dinesh Kadam, and inspectors Kedar Pawar and Nitin Alaknoor. All of these men were under Maria’s leadership in the Mumbai Crime Branch, responsible for the outcome of the ’93 Bombay blasts case. After the clo0sure of the case, they were moved to other branches, but they never gave up their allegiance to the top cop, especially Buddha.
And hence, the aspect that is most questionable in this situation is whether Peter Mukerjea was aware of Bora’ murder plan and Rai’s role in it. Given Buddha’s proximity to both Mukerjea and Maria, was he the one who brought the case into light after discovering the plot from Rai? In that case, why did Mukerjea let the driver go, assuming he knew? The answers to these questions may justify Peter Mukerjea’s involvement or for that matter, non-involvement in the murder.
What makes these speculations even more credible is the fact that all of Buddha’s colleagues were transferred back to the Khar police station, within the span of a year when the Sheena Bora murder case erupted. Between August 2014 and June 2015, all five of Maria’s ’93 blasts case came together once again. Ex-cop Sohail Buddha, however refused to comment on the matter, saying, “In the 14 years of my police service I have earned 300 awards and have always helped the force.” He claimed to not have been in touch with the Mukerjeas after having left Star TV and only employed Rai because he was ‘obligated’ to Peter for helping his career in the private sector.
Largely confusing was the fact that Rakesh Maria was soon transferred to the Home Guards as a Director General on September 7, this year, for certain discrepancies regarding the investigation that he was heading. Many from his blast case team were to meet him at his new office, but they were refused a dialogue, except for Buddha, who was a regular.
In this tale of complex connections and ties, Rahul Mukerjea, the son of Peter Mukerjea, who is in police custody since Thursday, has said,” I don’t believe he knew (anything about the murder)… otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” Rahul was in a relationship with Sheena Bora when she was killed, which is widely known to be the provocation that led to the murder.
Source: The Times Of India
Tags: Buddha-Mukerjea-Maria link Indrani Mukerjea Peter Mukerjea Rakesh Maria Sheena Bora Sheena Bora murder Sheena Bora Murder case Shyamvar Rai Sohail Buddha
