Friday, June 3 2005 22:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The prosecution in the Best bakery case today (Jun 3, 2005) examined the Investigating Officer (IO) of Vadodara, Deputy Commissioner of police P P Kanani on the steps taken by him during the police rescue operation and the investigation of the carnage at Best bakery on March 1, 2002.

Kanani was asked about the police investigation after the carnage and the steps taken to nab the suspects.

He told special Judge A M Thipsay how searches were conducted by police after the bakery was torched by rioters and also about the manner in which the accused were arrested after the riots.

Kanani told the court that after they (police) suspected that some human remains would be found near the bakery, doctors from forensics science laboratory were called.

Soil samples from the vicinity of the bakery were collected to check traces of blood and also charred patches from bakery walls was collected by the doctors, Kanani said.

He also said that all the nearby police stations were alerted about the suspects.

Earlier, the prosecution had examined another IO police inspector H G Baria. Thereafter the prosecution had re-called the prime witness Zaheera Sheikh, her mother and brothers.

The special court here is conducting the re-trial in the case following the Supreme Court directive to hold it in Maharashtra. Fourteen persons were killed in the attack on the Best Bakery at Vadodara on March 1, 2002 during the Gujarat riots.