Super-cop Rakesh Maria and the art of cracking big case

Why is Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria personally handling the Sheena Bora case?

The top cop’s staunchest critics, and he has his fair share, are raising strong questions about his involvement.

Maria’s personal interest in the case, coupled with allegations and rumours that underworld threats were made to the Pen police when the body believed to be Sheena Bora’s was first discovered in May 2012, have raised a few eyebrows.

The current police commissioner was also instrumental in questioning terrorist Ajmal Kasab and extracting a confession from him.

He has been very patient while questioning Indrani Mukherjea now.

In an interview to a newspaper 12 days after the case opened Maria was quoted as saying: “Indrani feels that she has not made any mistake as she is an educated woman, but she has made mistakes and I will not want this case to turn into an ‘Arushi case’.”

Maria also personally handled another case, known ironically, as the ‘Maria case’. The Maria Susairaj case involved a struggling actress and her boyfriend killing Neeraj Grover.

Rakesh Maria’s colleagues argue that the top cop’s integrity is unquestionable.

“He is also a great motivator. While most cops in this case at Khar police station, have not gone home and have spent the past two weeks at work, Mariasaab has been constantly motivating and giving them advice.

“It is a great opportunity for those cops, both male and female, to learn the art of investigation from him,”

says a senior police official.

DNA tests awaited

The DNA test of Siddharth Das and the grandparents of Sheena Bora are now being examined and the reports have come in today, Sunday, September 6.

The doctor will examine the reports and pronounce a verdict tomorrow, which is when the cops take Indrani and the other co-accused to the court.