Zaheera released from jail

Zaheera Sheikh, prime witness and complainant in the 2002 Best Bakery massacre case in Vadodara, was released from the Nashik Central Jail on Wednesday.

Zaheera Sheikh, prime witness and complainant in the 2002 Best Bakery massacre case in Vadodara, was released from the Nashik Central Jail on Wednesday. She was sentenced to a year’s simple imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 for perjury by the Supreme Court on March 8 last year.

After the SC waived the fine last week citing “peculiar circumstances of the case”, Zaheera’s lawyer Umesh Deshpande approached jail authorities Saturday last and appealed that her good conduct during imprisonment be considered and her term be reduced as per provisions of the Jail Manual.

“The manual provides that a convict who has conducted himself/herself well … is entitled to a week’s reduction for every month of imprisonment. Going by this, it works out to a month’s reduction for every four months of imprisonment. As Zaheera has already undergone a year’s imprisonment, she is entitled to three months reduction of the sentence,” said Deshpande.

Zaheera was whisked away by Deshpande and two of his “personal friends” in his car. They were also accompanied by her brother Nasibullah who lives in Mumbai.

When The Indian Express caught up with Zaheera at Igatpuri, about 40 km from Nashik en route to Mumbai, she said: “I do not want to say anything right now.” About her plans following her release, she said: “I want to go home and lead a normal life. But I do not have money. My bank accounts are still frozen.”