Mumbai: The receptionist of the Hilltop Hotel where accused Sanjeev Khanna had stayed in 2012, when Sheena Bora was murdered, identified Khanna on Wednesday in the court as the same person who had stayed in their hotel. According to the prosecution, Khanna stayed in Mumbai and actively participated in Sheena’s murder.
Minguel D’Souza who used to work as a receptionist at Hilltop Hotel in 2012 appeared before the special CBI court as a witness. He identified Snajeev Khanna as the same person who had stayed in their hotel. The CBI’s case is that Indrani had especially called Khanna to Mumbai to execute Sheena’s murder and the dates of his stay in the city and the day when Sheena was murdered are same.
Khanna’s defence lawyers Niranjan Mundergi and Shreyansh Mithare cross-examined D’Souza on the entries made in the register about Khanna’s check-in timing and his presence in the hotel.
The prosecution case is that Indrani, Khanna and accused-turned-approver Shyamwar Rai allegedly strangled Sheena (24), Indrani’s daughter from earlier relationship, inside a car in April 2012. The murder came to light in August 2015 after the police arrested Rai in an illegal arms case. During investigation of arms case, Rai spilled about Sheena’s murder.
Later, CBI took over the case and arrested Indrani’s husband Peter Mukerjea alleging that he was also involved in the conspiracy. According to CBI, financial dispute was the reason for Indrani to allegedly hatch the conspiracy to kill Sheena. The victim was also in a relationship with her current husband Peter’s son Rahul.
