Thursday, February 17 2005 10:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The prosecution in the Best Bakery carnage retrial yesterday (Feb 16, 2005) received a boost when a doctor, who had conducted post-mortem of some victims, said that prime witness Zaheera Shaikh's sister-in-law Yasmin's presence at the site is shown at three instances in the medical records available at the hospital.

Meena Christian, who works at Vadodara's SSG hospital, said that Yasmin had brought in Zaheera's elder brother Nafitullah Shaikh and worker Taufel who were injured in the attack. However, the records showed Yasmin's signature on the papers showing the details of the treatment given to Zaheera's younger brother Nasibullah, she said.

Yesterday's development is significant, as until now, Zaheera, her brothers Nafitullah and Nasibullah, her sister Saeera and mother Sehrunissa have denied that Yasmin was among them when the attack took place.

On Tuesday (Feb 15, 2005), Christian had disputed the claims of an eyewitness Raees Khan Pathan.

She had said that Raees Khan was the only one who was fully conscious when the victims of the attack were brought to the hospital.

Christian said that Raees told her that he did not know who assaulted him or what were the weapons used.

Raees, however, had identified five accused during the re-trial before the special judge A M Thipsay. He had also identified some weapons when they were placed before him.

The special court is conducting a re-trial into the Best Bakery carnage that took place on March 1, 2002. Fourteen persons had died in the incident.