Cops tried to hide it but this is how news of Indrani Mukherjea's arrest broke!

It was around 7pm on the evening of August 25. I was busy discussing next day’s stories with my reporters when a call came on my cell phone. On the other end was an old source who was screaming at the top of his voice – “ Your ex boss Peter Mukherjea’s wife Indrani has been arrested by Khar police. She killed her sister Sheena Vora and disposed off her dead body in the forests of Raigadh. She has been remanded to police custody till August 31”. I was shocked to listen to these words and at the same time I understood that I was going to break a very big story. However, I wasn’t aware that this story will be full of so much drama and complexities. I never met Indrani, but in 2003 when I joined Star News as its Principal Correspondent, Peter Mukherjea was CEO of Star India. I never had any official interaction with him but whenever we came across each other in Mahalaxmi office of Star India, he used to ask me about Mumbai underworld and appreciate my crime show “Red Alert” which was aired on Star News at those days. The source who tipped me about the arrest of Indrani was a trusted one and his information was always accurate, however, it was very much necessary to officially confirm this information before airing it on the news channel.

I immediately asked my colleague Ganesh Thakur who covers crime beat to get the information confirmed from Mumbai Police. He called up a senior cop, but instead of providing any detail he reverted by asking Ganesh – Who gave you this information? The case was related to a very high profile media personality. Police was not willing to take any risks and made all efforts to prevent information from leaking to media. Actually cops intended to reveal about this case few days later. All officers of Khar police station had switched off their phones. Police commissioner Rakesh Maria himself was not taking any calls. His constable received our calls only to tell that Mr.Maria was busy into something. Staff of Bandra court was also instructed that the copy of remand application must not reach hands of media. SP of Raigadh Police was also told not to speak about the case with any journalist. However, after struggling for around 2 hours, we managed to confirm the information and I broke the news at 9pm with a live chat saying that Media Mogul Peter Mukherjea’s wife Indrani has been arrested on charges of killing her sister Sheena Vora. She has disposed off her dead body in Raigadh. Bandra court has remanded her to police custody till August 31. Till then it was not clear that Sheena Vora in reality was Indrani’s daughter whom she introduced as her sister to the world including her husband Peter.

Meanwhile, Ganesh Thakur rushed to Khar police station. He got some more information. Ganesh got to know that Indrani was assisted by her driver Shyam Rai in the murder and a third person was also involved in the case. By morning we were able to reach that location on Pen-Khopoli road in Raigadh district where Sheena’s body was disposed off. Since that day consistently new information is flowing in on the case which is shocking as well as dramatic. We are coming across such a story which you see only in crime fictions. It is developing as a story which has greed, hatred, passion and ambition.