Zaheera disowns affidavit

In yet another flip-flop, Zaheera Sheikh, the prime witness in the Best Bakery case, on Wednesday disowned an affidavit filed before the Nan...

In yet another flip-flop, Zaheera Sheikh, the prime witness in the Best Bakery case, on Wednesday disowned an affidavit filed before the Nanavati-Shah Commission on May 20, 2002.

After looking through a copy of the affidavit giving a graphic account of the March 1 massacre — in which 14 persons were killed — and naming members of the mob, Zaheera said, ‘‘I have not filed any affidavit before the riot commission. I do not know who has filed it, but the signatures at the end are mine.’’

Incidentally, this two-page affidavit — signed by Zaheera and attested by a notary — was filed much before the fast-track court in Vadodara acquitted the 21 accused. Zaheera and her mother Sehrunissa, both of whom had turned hostile during the trial, subsequently said they had lied in court out of fear.

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After the Supreme Court reopened the case, Zaheera did another somersault and accused social activist Teesta Setalvad of coercing her into naming certain persons as accused.

The commission listened to Zaheera’s denials, but did not record her statements and adjourned the hearing till Thursday, when it will hear her counsel’s application that her cross-examination be postponed till the matter reached a conclusive stage in the SC.

Also on Wednesday, Hari Prasad Joshi, a survivor of the Godhra train carnage stated before the commission that the police did not conduct the post-mortem of his wife who died in the tragedy. Joshi survived by crawling along the passage of the S-6 coach and jumping out.