From Pari to Indrani, social butterfly to murderer mother: The story of Indrani Mukerjea and Sheena Bora
What we know and what we don't.
WHAT WE KNOW?
Born Pari Bora to Durga Rani and Upendra Bora in Guwahati. At 15, eloped with her boyfriend to Shillong.
Met Siddhartha Das, an executive in a Jamshedpur-based steel company. Moved in with him. She was a minor, so they couldn't get married.
Had her first child, Sheena, when she was 17. Second at 18. Relations soured with Siddhartha Das. She left with her two kids (aged 2 and 1). Also read: From India Today magazine: 7 unanswered questions in Sheena Bora murder mystery
Upendra Bora helped her open a fast food restaurant in Guwahati. Restaurant failed to take off. She left her children and moved back to Shillong and then on to Kolkata.
Moved in with Sanjeev Khanna. Married him and had a baby, Vidhie.
She got a job as an HR manager in Mumbai. Moved out of Khanna's house in 2001.
Met Star Network's Peter Mukerjea at an Alyque Padamsee do. Peter, just separated, liked her. And they got along famously.
At Peter's behest, opened an HR consultancy firm that got hiring contracts from Peter's company.
Her children in Guwahati came to know about her impending wedding with Peter. They contacted her.
She came to Guwahati to meet them. Told them she can help them out if they agreed to present themselves to her new family and friends as her siblings. They agreed for they needed the money to move on in life. She gets birth and school certificates for Sheena where UK Bora and Durga Rani Bora are named as parents of Sheena. Also see: Sheena murder case explained in graphics
Rahul doesn't believe any of this and goes to Worli police station. Demands that a missing person's report be filed.
Cops tell him a report will be filed only after an inquiry. Police visit Indrani's house in Worli where they are told Rahul was stalking Sheena and she left the country to avoid any contact with her.
Cops rebuke Rahul for persisting with unrequited love. No report is filed.
On May 6, 2012, Mumbai Metro One receives a resignation letter in an email, where Sheena foregoes all dues.
On May 25, Gagode Budruk villagers on a mango-picking trip are alarmed by foul smell in the woods. They follow the trail to discover a half-burnt suitcase with a finger with painted nail peeping out. They call the police patil (appointed by police as informers and first responders), who informs Pen policemen about the discovery.
Cops take it as yet another body dumping case. The area is notorious for this. Only in the year 2012, 13 such bodies were recovered from nearby the spot. They wait for claimants for a few days and then dispose of the body.
Nothing happens at all in the next three years, till an anonymous phone call to the Khar police station. The caller says an auto-rickshaw driver has murdered a young girl from a big business family and dumped the body in Raigad.
Shyam Rai plies an auto-rickshaw since Indrani and Peter left the country. Whenever they were in town, he worked as their chauffeur.
Police put Shyam Rai under surveillance and wait for his bosses. Indrani comes to Mumbai and she is also put under surveillance.
On August 21, Shyam Rai is arrested on the pretext of possession of illegal arms.
Shyam Rai breaks down during interrogation when asked why he visited the spot where the body was dumped. He tells them the story.
Police arrest Indrani from her house three days later. They also seize mobile phones, laptops, computers and papers from her house. Sanjeev Khanna is arrested a day later from Kolkata.
WHAT WE DON'T?
1. Why did Sanjeev Khanna agree to participate in this murder?
2. Why does Peter Mukerjea remain silent when Indrani's dealings were staring in his face?
3. What did it take to silence Mikhail?
