Involvement in Sheena Bora murder case probe cost Rakesh Maria his post: Maha CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, Nov 1: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, Oct 31, made it clear that former Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria's personal involvement in the probe of Sheena Bora murder case didn't go down well with the government.

Maria's transfer, few weeks before his tenure as the city police chief was to end, raised eyebrows as he was in the middle of the investigation of the high-profile murder case.

Asked about the controversy, Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio and whose government completed one year in the office today, said, "It is the job of the investigating officer to investigate. The CP's (Commissioner's) job is to supervise."

"It would have been fine if he had not gone there (suburban Khar police station where Sheena's mother Indrani Mukerjea and other accused were interrogated) so many times," Fadnavis said.

On September 8, Maria was transferred on promotion as Director General, Home guards, which is considered a low profile posting. He was replaced by Ahmed Javed.

The government had then defended the action by saying that the new commissioner needed some time to settle in ahead of the coming Ganesh festival which poses a mammoth security challenge for Mumbai police.

The authorities had also said that Maria may continue to supervise the Sheena Bora case, but later the case was transferred to CBI.

Maria, who shot to fame after successful investigation of the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, had been appointed as the Mumbai police commissioner, a coveted post, during the previous Congress-NCP regime.

PTI