Sheena Bora murder case: CBI informs court about reappearance of skeletal remains 

In a major update on the Sheena Bora murder case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has reported the reappearance of human bones that were previously declared missing from their storeroom in Mumbai, where all other evidence related to the murder case was kept. 

On Wednesday, the CBI informed the special CBI court that the bones, earlier deemed untraceable, had been located. This development occurred while forensic expert Dr Zeba Khan was in the witness box. Last month, Public Prosecutor CJ Nandode stated that the bones could not be found.

At the start of the Sheena Bora murder trial on Wednesday, an email and hard copy from someone claiming to be Khan's brother were presented to Special CBI Judge SP Naik Nimbalkar. The email alleged that Khan had acquired properties abroad and increased her bank balance by collaborating with the accused, suggesting their involvement in the disappearance of the evidence.

The judge deemed the allegations serious and in need of investigation. Defence attorneys Ranjeet Sangle, representing Indrani Mukerjea, Manjula Rao, representing Peter Mukerjea, and Shreyansh Mithare, representing Sanjeev Khanna, agreed and called for an investigation before continuing the trial.

Nandode requested time to gather instructions and later informed the court that the bones were in the Malkhana but that the CBI no longer intended to use them as evidence. He insisted that Khan's cross-examination proceed despite the issue with the bones. The defence attorneys requested that the bones be presented in court, but the judge ruled it unnecessary since the investigating agency was not relying on them. 

The court proceeded with Khan's cross-examination, which concluded by the end of the day. However, Sangle and Rao reiterated the need for an investigation into the allegations, as they implicated the accused.

Judge Naik Nimbalkar announced that a formal order would be issued on Thursday.

What is the Sheena Bora murder case?

The CBI claims that Sheena Bora was strangled by her mother, Indrani Mukerjea, her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna, and driver Shyamwar Rai in 2012. The body was then allegedly transported to Pen village and burned. 

Peter Mukerjea is accused of being part of the conspiracy. The skeletal remains found by Pen police in 2012 were sent to JJ Hospital for examination. The case remained unsolved until 2015, when Rai's arrest revealed the alleged murder. Rai later turned approver in the case.