‘Zahira lied, maybe for money’

The bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice H.K. Sema, however, made it clear that it would accept the report only after hearing the counsel for both Teesta and Zahira.

The report, prepared by Supreme Court Registrar General B.M. Gupta, said: ‘‘looking to the aforementioned status in full, including all other circumstances of the case, I feel no hesitation to mention that Zahira is not such a lady who speaks the truth. She has developed an image of a self-condemned liar whose statements alone cannot safely be accepted’’.

On January 10, the court had referred the matter for inquiry after Zahira’s ‘‘flip flops’’ and allegations that she may have been induced to do so.

The report submitted today raises serious questions on Zahira’s conduct. It clearly says there ‘‘appears a high probability of money changing hands’’ which was the ‘‘allurement’’ by which Zahira ‘‘was induced for giving a particular statement in the trial court, Vadodara which was supportive to the defence/accused and against the case of the prosecution’’.

Putting the role of local BJP MLA Madhu Srivastava under the scanner, the committee said after ‘‘receiving the first call (proposal)’’ from Srivastava through his cellphone on Nafitullah’s cellphone, the latter was ‘‘continuously calling’’ Srivastava on his cell till July 2, 2003 ‘‘i.e. just after the judgment of the trial court was pronounced’’ on June 27, 2003, and ‘‘just before their approaching’’ Setalvad on July 5.

Responding to the ‘‘very material allegations’’ levelled by Setalvad against the state of Gujarat, including non-intimation of Zahira’s November 3, 2004, press conference at Vadodara to the Public Prosecutor conducting the retrial, the committee has said that her allegations ‘‘cannot be ignored’’. A visibly relieved Setalvad, however, refused to blame Zahira for the change in stand. ‘‘Forces behind her are trying to use her as a pawn,’’ she said.

MLA rubbishes report

VADODARA: Waghdodia BJP MLA Madhu Shrivastava on Monday trashed the SC committee’s report, saying it was an attempt to shield Teesta Setalvad. At a press meet at the Circuit House here, Shrivastava alleged that SC Registrar General B.M. Gupta had conspired to shield Setalvad in the report. “The two have family relations and the report has been written to save her. We have all trust in the SC, but its committee has left Zaheera’s subsequent allegations against Setalvad untouched,’’ he said. — ENS