New Delhi: Ahead of the crucial hearing on post-Godhra riot cases on Monday (Feb 23, 2004), the Gujarat Government has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging a high court order acquitting all the accused in the Best Bakery case in which 12 persons were burnt alive by a mob.

The State Government filed a special leave petition (SLP) yesterday (Feb 20, 2004) challenging the December 26 order of the high court, which upheld the decision of a Vadodara fast track court acquitting all 21 accused.

The high court had also dismissed Government's application seeking permission to bring on its record, evidence in the form of affidavits filed by key witness Zaheera Sheikh and three others with the Supreme Court.

The affidavits were a part of special leave petition filed by Mumbai-based non-Governmental organisation (NGO) Citizens for Justice and Peace, which has sheltered Zaheera Sheikh.

On June 27, the Vadodara court had acquitted the accused persons charged with burning to death 12 people in "Best Bakery" during the post-Godhra communal riots on March 1 last year.

The State Government was forced to amend its appeal and seek retrial as well as fresh inquiry into the Best Bakery incident after the Supreme Court castigated it for filing an "eyewash of an appeal". The amended appeal was filed on September 29.