The Hindu : National : Zahira turns hostile at retrial

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004

National

National

Zahira turns hostile at retrial

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, DEC. 21. Zahira Sheikh, prime eyewitness in the Best Bakery case, today turned hostile in the retrial underway here at the sessions court, and said she did not know the identity of the people who threw stones and soda bottles at her and her family on the night of March 1, 2002.

It was on this date that the bakery was burnt down in riots at the Hanuman Tekri area of Baroda. Fourteen people were killed in this incident. Zahira wore a black burqa, with her face covered by a veil. Ms. Manjula Rao, Special Public Prosecutor, asked her to uncover her face. Ms. Rao asked her when she had learnt about the riots to which Zahira said it was only afterwards when she and her family were taken to hospital.

Zahira herself was not injured but her brothers were hurt in the stone throwing as also the workers. She said her brothers and the workers from the bakery, Baliram, Rajesh, Prakash, Shehzad and Sailun, were taken to hospital. It was in hospital that she saw her sister Sabira's body along with the bodies of Baliram, Prakash and Rajesh. When Ms. Rao asked her what she saw when she came down from the terrace, Zahira said at the time she was frightened and did not see anything. After two days in hospital the police took her signature on a sheet of paper and went away.

Zahira was shown a document by the court and asked to identify her signature. She admitted it was her signature but she did not know the contents of the document. It was at this point that Ms. Rao sought permission from the Additional Sessions Judge, Abhay Thipsay to cross-examine her, as she had turned hostile. She said that she did give evidence in the trial at Baroda but added that this document was not shown to her then. She also denied telling the trial court that she had spoken to the police about the incident at Best Bakery. She maintained that her statement was not shown to her at the Baroda court.

Ms. Rao asked Zahira why she had held a press conference in Mumbai. Zahira said the social activist, Teesta Setalvad, should be asked about this. After giving evidence in Baroda last year, she had gone to her native place for a month.

When she returned, Rais Khan, Mohammed Vora, Arif Malik and Munna Malik forcibly brought her to Mumbai.

Zahira's deposition will continue tomorrow.

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