Zaheera Sheikh

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Zaheera Sheikh is the key witness in the Best Bakery case. She is the daughter of the owner of the bakery involved in the Best Bakery case.

On March 1, 2002, 14 persons were burnt alive in the premises of the bakery. Zaheera, who was the prime witness turned hostile in court.

In January 2005, the Supreme Court of India ordered an inquiry into the repeated change of statement by Zaheera. In August 2005, a Supreme Court committee indicted Sheikh as a "self-condemned liar" falling to "inducements" by "certain persons" to give "inconsistent" statements during the trial of the case.

In March 2006, the Supreme Court of India found her guilty of perjury in the same case. She was sentenced to a year in prison and was also fined an amount equal to Rs. 50000 (approximately $1100). The court also instructed tax authorities to investigate her assets since the start of the infamous trial as she is widely suspected of having accepted numerous bribes to change her testimony in court. She was ordered to undergo her term in a Mumbai prison.

[edit] External links

• "Why did Zaheera Sheikh have to lie?" - rediff.com article dated July 8, 2003