Friday, June 9 2006 18:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Zaheera Shaikh, prime witness in Best Bakery case who is facing charges of giving false evidence, today (June 9, 2006) maintained before a sessions court here that she had spoken only truth while tendering evidence.

Zaheera's trial on charges of perjury (giving false evidence) concluded today and Judge Abhay Thipsay reserved order until June 12.

The court has already sentenced Zaheera's mother Sahrunisa and sister Sahira to three months' RI and imposed fine of Rs 500 on each of them on the same charges. As regards Zaheera's brother Nasibullah, the court said it may put him onprobation considering his young age.

To most of the questions put to her on perjury charges, Zaheera today said, "I do not want to answer" or "I do not know".

Thipsay, who had conducted the retrial in Best bakery case, has charged Zaheera with falsely stating in the court that she had not lodged the First Information Report (FIR) regarding the Best bakery incident and that she was unaware of the document (FIR) although it bore her signature.

The Judge also charged Zaheera with telling a lie during the re-trial that she had not told Vadodara court earlier about talking to police regarding the Best bakery incident. He referred to Vadodara court proceedings which indicated that she had indeed told police about it.

Thipsay further charged Zaheera with making a false statement before him during re-trial that she was not aware of the outcome of verdict of Vadodara court which had acquitted the accused in Best bakery case as she and other witnesses had turned hostile.