A forensic expert testifying in the Sheena Bora murder case on Tuesday, 19 November, told a CBI court that Indrani Mukerjea’s DNA samples proved her biological relationship with the victim whose bones bones were extracted from the Raighad forest in 2015.
This is the first time in the history of the case trail that the accused Indrani Mukerjea is directly being linked to the remains. While the body was exhumed in 2015 when the murder came to light, the prosecution is yet to prove that the remains do belong to Sheena Bora.
Sheena was allegedly killed by her mother Indrani with the help of two other accused in April 2012. The 24-year-old was reportedly burnt in a jungle in Raigad district.
The DNA expert, Shrikant Lade, is the Assistant Director of the Regional Forensic Laboratory.
A DNA analysis of Indrani’s blood sample and the left femur bone from the burned remains proved the biological mother-daughter relationship.
Indrani’s ex-husband Sanjeev Khana and her driver Shyamvar Rai were arrested in 2015 for allegedly being part of the murder conspiracy. Media baron Peter Mukerjea, the then husband of Indrani was also arrested for allegedly being part of the murder.
All accused are currently in jail, while Rai has turned approver in the case. According to investigators, Indrani Mukerjea's opposition to Sheena's relationship with Rahul, Peter Mukerjea's son from his first wife, and financial disputes were possible motives for the murder. Sheena was Indrani Mukerjea's daughter from an earlier relationship.
The high-profile case was first handled by the Mumbai Police and later by the CBI.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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