Influential people suppressed Sheena murder for 3 yrs: Maria

In a startling disclosure a day before he retires from the police force, IPS officer Rakesh Maria on Monday said "influential and wealthy people" suppressed the Sheena Bora murder -- in which her mother Indrani Mukerjea and former media baron Peter Mukerjea are among those arrested -- for three years.

"The Sheena Bora murder was kept under wraps by influential and wealthy people for three years," said Maria, Director General and Commandant of Home Guards. He, however, did not name these "influential and wealthy people".

Maria also lamented that cops who investigated the sensational murder case, which hogged national limelight for a long time, did not get the due credit.

"I feel bad for the team which remained unrecognised and did not get credit for the detection and a good job done by them," Maria said. The case was later transferred to CBI.

Known for his investigation skills, Maria, who rose to fame with the cracking of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, and who also probed the 26/11 terror attacks, retires tomorrow after 36 years of service in Maharashtra Police.