Sheena murder: Indrani's ex-driver made approver, court grants pardon

Mumbai: The special CBI court investigating the Sheena Bora murder case on Monday made prime accused Indrani Mukerjea’s former driver Shyamvar Rai an approver, and granted pardon to him.

According to a report, Rai told the Mumbai court that he would ‘reveal everything’ about his and others’ role in the case.

On Monday, Judge HS Mahajan told Rai he will have to speak the truth. "You will have to speak the truth about what you know, what happened, what you did and what others did. Is it OK", Judge asked Rai.

When Rai replied in the affirmative the judge said that he will have to explain the role that he and others played in the Sheena Bora murder case to which he agreed.

CBI sources said that since pardon has been granted to Rai, he is now a witness in the case and not an accused.

Read: Indrani Mukerjea's former driver says Sheena Bora was strangled

Last month, Rai had told the court that he wished to turn approver. “I am aware about the acts connected with commission of the offence; I was a participant in the murder, Sheena Bora was killed by strangulation,” Rai told the court. He also told the court that he was under "no pressure, threat or coercion" to reveal the facts in the case and was "repentant" for his act.

The CBI had in turn sought more time to file its reply on Rai's request. The court had adjourned the case until June 6. On that day, the CBI had said that it had no objected to Rai turning approver.

Read: Sheena Bora murder case: Peter Mukerjea puts the blame on Indrani

As an approver, the court would record Rai’s statement under section 164 of CrPC and it could be used against other accused as evidence during trial.
Twenty-four-year old Sheena was Indrani Mukerjea’s daughter from an earlier relationship. She was allegedly strangled in a car in April 2012 and her body burnt and dumped in a forest adjoining Raigad district. Her body was found in late August 2015.

The CBI took over the probe from Mumbai police late last year.  Indrani Mukerjea who is currently lodged in the Byculla Ladies Prison, is the prime accused in the 2012 murder of her daughter, along with her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna and Shyamvar Rai.

Khanna and Indrani’s present husband Peter Mukerjea are also currently languishing in jail. Peter Mukerjea was arrested in November. According to CBI, Peter was part of the murder conspiracy.