Local who spotted Sheena's skeleton deposes in court

A local who first spotted the remains of Sheena Bora in a Raigad jungle in 2012 deposed before the trial court here Wednesday.

Sheena (24) was allegedly killed by her mother and media executive Indrani Mukerjea with the help of others in April 2012 and the body was burnt in a jungle in neighbouring Raigad district.

As per the prosecution, Ganesh Dhene had spotted a skeleton at Gagode village in Pen teshil of Raigad days after the murder.

Dhene is a 'police patil' who are appointed in villages where there is no police station. Their job is to keep police informed about happenings in the area.

Sheena's murder came to light in 2015 following the arrest of Indrani Mukerjea's driver Shyamvar Rai.

Then it was established that the skeleton found in the Raigad jungle in 2012 was of Sheena, the biological daughter of Indrani, born from a previous relationship.

During his testimony before CBI judge J C Jagdale, Dhene said he was collecting mangoes when he spotted a burnt skeleton.

He returned home and told the local police who asked him to come to the spot again, he said.

When he went back a few hours later, there were already two or three police officers and he pointed out the spot where he had seen the skeleton, he told the court.

A doctor arrived and collected some bones for autopsy, Dhene said.

To a question by defence lawyer Shrikant Shivde, the witness said he was not sure which bones or part of teeth were removed from the skeleton for post-mortem procedure.

The police had arrested Indrani, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Rai in 2015.

Later, the CBI arrested Indrani's husband and media baron Peter Mukerjea for allegedly being part of the conspiracy.