aa24nov
08, May 2017
Yasmin CD test plea rejected
– By Our Correspondent
Mumbai, Nov. 23:
The special court conducting the Best
Bakery retrial on Tuesday turned down an application made by the defence
counsel to screen the compact disc containing the interview given by
Yasmin Sheikh to a local news channel in Baroda after the burning of the
bakery.
Yasmin,
sister-in-law of prime witness Zahira Sheikh, is the only family member
who has supported the prosecution in the trial. In her cross examination
last week, the defence had mentioned YasminÂ’s interview.
According to the defence, Yasmin had alleged in the interview that Zahira
had taken money to turn hostile before the Baroda court. The fast track
court in Baroda had acquitted all the 21 accused. However, Yasmin could
not tell the court as to who had paid the money to Zahira. The defence
wanted to confront her on this issue and highlight the contradictions in
her statements.
Special judge A.M. Thipsay said that the defence could bring out the
contradictions by presenting independent evidence. The prosecution had
opposed the move to screen the CD saying it could have been tampered with.
The court, however, said that the defence could cross examine Yasmin a
second time.
Meanwhile, Nafitullah Sheikh, ZahiraÂ’s brother, denied knowing BJP MLA
from Gujarat Madhu Srivastav when examined by public prosecutor Manjula
Rao. Ms Rao asked if he had accepted money from Ms Srivastav through one
Wahid Khan to turn hostile before the Baroda court. Ms Rao said that Wahid
Khan was the nephew of Lal Mohammed, who owned a godown opposite the
bakery.
Ms Rao
produced three mobile phone numbers belonging to Mr Nafitullah Sheikh, Ms
Madhu Srivastav and Wahid Khan. She asked Mr Sheikh whether he had
contacted them from his mobile phone. He denied having contacted anyone.
