The sad and strange case of Sheena Bora still affects true-crime fans all over the world, especially a lot of Australians who like complicated legal dramas. In 2012, a young woman peacefully went missing but it turned into one of India’s most horrible and sensational murder cases. It was a story full of betrayal, family secrets and falsehoods.
Who was Sheena Bora?
Sheena Bora was born on February 11, 1987, in Shillong, Meghalaya, India. Her mother’s parents raised her in Guwahati, Assam. She was a brilliant and ambitious young woman with a good record in school. Sheena went to St Xavier’s College in Mumbai and subsequently worked as an assistant manager at Mumbai Metro One. Her coworkers claimed she was professional.
But her family’s past was much more complicated than anyone around her realised. For most of her life, she was known publicly as the younger sister of Indrani Mukerjea, a prominent media executive. Indrani Mukerjea was a well-known media executive. In reality, Indrani was her biological mother — a revelation that would later become central to one of India’s most disturbing criminal cases.
The person who is missing
On April 24, 2012, Sheena vanished without a trace. Indrani’s coworkers realised she was missing, and her boyfriend, Rahul Mukerjea, who was the son of Indrani’s then-husband, Peter Mukerjea, a former media executive, couldn’t get in touch with her. Rahul became concerned when he received messages from Sheena’s phone claiming she had relocated to another nation. However, the investigation was closed because there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing. The truth began to come out three years later.
The shocking discovery
In August 2015, Mumbai police arrested Indrani Mukerjea, her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna and her driver Shyamvar Rai for murder and disposing of Sheena’s body. According to authorities, the three kidnapped Sheena, strangled her and burned her body before abandoning her in a forest in Raigad, Maharashtra.
The case was reopened after Rai confessed to his involvement while being questioned in an unrelated firearms investigation. His statement led police to the burial site and triggered a wave of arrests, thrusting the case into intense public and media scrutiny.
The alleged motive
The motive behind the crime is believed to be deeply rooted in family dynamics and personal reputation. According to prosecutors, Indrani murdered her daughter in order to conceal the truth about her age and paternity, as well as to destroy Sheena’s relationship with her stepson Rahul Mukerjea.
There were also stories about conflicts over money and property, which added to the motivation. According to investigators, Indrani sought to maintain her high-class social image, which may have been jeopardised if others found out about her relationship with Sheena.
The investigation and CBI involvement
Because the defendants were well-known, the investigation was quickly handed over to India’s Central Bureau of enquiry (CBI). The CBI charged Indrani, Khanna and Rai with murder, criminal conspiracy and evidence destruction, among other things.
Forensic specialists discovered that the bone fragments found in Raigad matched Sheena’s DNA, linking the remains directly to her disappearance. The CBI also obtained phone records, financial information and evidence that a sophisticated cover-up was taking place.
Legal proceedings and developments
The Sheena Bora murder trial has seen many twists and turns over the years, as well as scary new evidence. Indrani Mukerjea served several years in prison before being released on bail in 2022. As of 2025, the trial is still ongoing. The accused deny the charges, while key witnesses such as Rahul Mukerjea and other family members continue to testify in court.
In 2024 and 2025, the CBI brought in fresh witnesses while dismissing others, keeping the public’s interest alive. Every new event prompted Indian and foreign media to discuss privilege, justice and how power works in wealthy families.
Media coverage and public reaction
The Sheena Bora case received extensive media coverage around the world, resulting in numerous films, podcasts and in-depth studies. “The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth” premiered on Netflix in 2024. It is a four-part documentary that examines the crime from a variety of perspectives, including interviews and mental examinations. Even Australians who watch true crime shows like Underbelly and The Teacher’s Pet were taken aback by the series.
People were interested by the story’s unsettling themes, such as how an affluent, educated mum could aim to kill her child and how lying in families can lead to calamity.
Current status
The lawsuit remains active in 2025 and court proceedings continue in Mumbai. Some of the people facing charges have been released on bond but the final decision has yet to be made. According to legal experts, a ruling may not be reached for several years.
Indrani Mukerjea, who claims to be innocent, has written a memoir detailing her side of the incident. This has brought her more media attention. The narrative nevertheless demonstrates how private secrets can lead to public disasters.
Conclusion
The murder of Sheena Bora is one of the most horrific and complex cases we’ve seen in a long time. It shows that the truth can be stranger than fiction. This story contains all of the ingredients that Australian true-crime fans enjoy: mystery, deception and the dark side of human connections.
It’s the story of a young woman whose promising future was cut short too soon and a family torn apart by secrets that the world is still trying to understand.
