Zaheera breaks down in court

     Mumbai: Zaheera Sheikh, the prime witness in the Best Bakery case, produced before a Sessions Court here today, broke down in tears in the courtroom. Zaheera, who was appeared before the Judge Abhay Dixit, sought his permission to speak in camera. The judge accepted her request and asked all those who were present at that time, to leave the courtroom. Zaheera had surrendered on March 10 in keeping with a Supreme Court directive ordering her to undergo one year jail term for contempt of court. She also pleaded to the court that she may be sent to a Maharashtra jail and not in Gujarat as she feared for her life.

    Before Zaheera surrendered she had gone into hiding from her relative's residence at suburban Bhayander in nearby Thane district following the apex court order. Zaheera, who had turned hostile in the Best Bakery case and was found to be a "self-condemned liar" by a high-powered committee appointed by the Supreme Court, was sentenced to one- year simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 for contempt of court. It has been four years since the attack on Best Bakery on March 1, 2002. As many as 14 people, including two children, were killed as rioters set on fire the bakery, which was located in Vadodara's Hanuman Tekri area. Eleven of those killed belonged to one family, that of Zaheera Sheikh. Following a FIR filed by Zaheera's family, the Gujarat government filed charges against 21 people and set up a fast track court in May 2002. A trial court in Mumbai on February 24 gave a verdict of life imprisonment to nine people accused in the case and issued notice to Zaheera together with her family members, whom the court accused of giving false statement. Besides Zaheera, the family members that were accused were her mother Sehrunissa, two brothers Nasibullah and Nafitullah and sister Sahira. A total of 17 accused faced trial for charges of murdering 14 persons who had taken refuge in the Best bakery on Hanuman Tekdi at Vadodara on March 1, 2002, in the post-Godhra riots. Out of the total number of 21 accused , four were absconding. Zaheera had moved the Supreme Court alleging that all the 21 accused in the case had been acquitted by the trial court in Gujarat as she had turned hostile due to threats issued to her. The apex court, on April 12, 2004 had asked a Mumbai court to conduct the retrial to give fair trial outside Gujarat to the accused. However, Zaheera retracted from her statement and had levelled charges of inducement against Teesta.

Mumbai court seeks directions from Supreme Court

      Mumbai: A Sessions Court here on Monday asked for directions from the Supreme Court on where Zaheera Sheikh, who has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment on the charges of perjury, would serve her sentence. Extending Zaheera's judicial custody till March 16, Judge Abhay Thipsay observed that the Supreme Court order did not give directions to Gujarat police to apprehend Zaheera and imprison her in Gujarat. Thipsay observed: "Since Zaheera, specifically stated that she should not be handed over to Gujarat police and instead be lodged in prison in Maharashtra, it would not be proper on part of this court to hand her over to Gujarat police". "Under the circumstances it would be fit and appropriate for this court to seek directions from Supreme Court as to the manner in which Zaheera should undergo her sentence," he added. Zaheera had earlier made a plea that she should not be transferred to Gujarat as she fears for her life. Thipsay made the observations while hearing on the plea that Zaheera be allowed to serve her sentence in Maharashtra. Earlier in the day, suspense and drama reigned supreme in the court as Zaheera broke down in tears when she was being produced in the court. Appearing before the Court, Zaheera sought judge's permission to speak something in front of the camera. The judge accepted her request and asked all those who were present at that time, to leave the courtroom. Zaheera had surrendered on March 10 in keeping with a Supreme Court directive ordering her to undergo one-year jail term for contempt of court. She also pleaded to the court that she may be sent to a Maharashtra jail and not in Gujarat as she feared for her life. Before Zaheera surrendered, she had gone into hiding from her relative's residence at suburban Bhayander in nearby Thane district following the apex court order.

Back to Headlines                  Go To Top