Tuesday, June 6 2006 10:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: A sessions court yesterday (June 5, 2006) deferred till today (June 6, 2006) the proceedings against Zaheera Sheikh and her family members, all prime witnesses in Best Bakery case, who turned hostile, for giving false evidence at the retrial in Mumbai.

Sessions judge Abhay Thipsay adjourned the matter till tomorrow afternoon as Zaheera's petition challenging the Best Bakery verdict would be heard by the Bombay High Court on the same day in the morning.

The sessions court had suo motu initiated perjury (giving false evidence) proceedings against Zaheera and others prime witnesses in the Best bakery retrial. However, it granted a stay on the proceedings after Zaheera filed a petition in the high court challenging the Best bakery verdict.

The petition also challenged the remarks passed against Zaheera and family by the judge in the Best Bakery verdict.

Thipsay, on February 24, had convicted nine persons for Best Bakery riots and acquitted eight accused. He had also observed that Zaheera had intentionally lied in the retrial.

The Judge reached the same conclusion regarding the testimonies of Zaheera's mother Sehrunnisa, sister Sahira and brother Nasibullah.

On the basis of this conclusion, the judge had initiated summary trial against them for giving false evidence after giving them show cause notices.

Zaheera's petition not only demands that these remarks by the judge be removed, but also seeks to quash the judgement as well as conviction of nine persons.