The Hindu : National : Witness turns hostile in Best Bakery case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 26, 2004

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National

Witness turns hostile in Best Bakery case

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, OCT. 25. The prosecution's witness, Avdhut Nagarkar, was declared hostile today, after he did not corroborate his original testimony during the re-trial of the Best Bakery case.

Nagarkar, at one point, said he had signed a blank sheet of paper, instead of a panchnama pertaining to the recovery of a weapon from one of the accused.

He also refused to identify one of his signatures on the panchnama. He earlier said he had signed for a vehicle theft .

Nagarkar was shown the panchnama, pertaining to the recovery of a bamboo stick, in which he had signed thrice. However, after repeated questioning by the special public prosecutor, Manjula Rao, he said he had signed twice but had no recollection of having put the third signature. Ms. Rao put it to him that he was lying to save the accused in question. However, Nagarkar denied he knew the accused or that he was witness to the events mentioned in the panchnama.

The other witness examined by the prosecution, Kamlesh Darji, an autorickshaw driver, could not identify the weapon shown to him in the court. Darji, who repeatedly asked for water and took a long time to answer questions from Ms. Rao, said that after the Best Bakery incident, the police took him to the house of an individual to identify some weapons. He said the weapon, a sword, was seized from the house and a panchnama was made. However, he said that even if the weapon was shown to him now he would not be able to identify it. He verified that he had signed the panchnama and that its contents were correct.

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