Officials close to Maria said that long before the arrest of Indrani and her driver Shyamwar Rai, the commissioner, through his enviable network of informants and sources in Mumbai, was aware that foul play was involved in Sheena’s disappearance.
Around three months ago, Maria formed his select team of investigators and had two officers he trusted, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kadam and Inspector Dinesh Kadam, transferred to Khar police station from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) where they worked at the time. In fact, Maria’s team of officers drew up a “Zero FIR” as early as June 27, 2015.
The sources said that following preliminary investigation results, Maria met and briefed his political masters who told him to lay off the sensitive case. But with his subordinates already on the investigation which was now yielding circumstantial evidence, Maria couldn’t or didn’t come in the way of its progress. Besides, he received two other tip-offs which encouraged him to pursue the case.
Minister, SC judge Pressured Maria: Source to The Quint
But with Maria’s unusually deep interest in the case, marked by personal interrogation of the three accused persons, and the apparent softness towards Peter Mukerjea, several quarters exerted pressure on the then commissioner. One of the persons who approached Maria, sources said, is a minister in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet. Sources said Maria was shocked when he received a phone call from a sitting Supreme Court judge, requesting that he take it easy.
Sources close to Maria said that Indrani’s interrogation revealed that her marital relationship with Peter Mukerjea had deteriorated over time. Other sources, who in the past accessed some SMS-es that she sent to at least another man, suggested that she was abusive and dismissive of Peter.
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