The Best Bakery case witnessed so many twists and turns this year that it would put a Bollywood scriptwriter to shame.
It all began with Zahira Sheikh, prime witness in the case, filing a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat high court's acquittal of the accused.
The Supreme Court stayed the order and ordered that a retrial be held, and the case be shifted to Maharashtra. Even as the case was progressing in a Mumbai court, Zahira, who had earlier said she had lied before the Gujarat high court due to threat to her life, turned hostile. Then, her brothers also recanted.
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Zahira then accused social activist Teesta Setalvad, who had arranger for her stay in Mumbai, of threatening her and forcing her to give false statements in the court.
In another twist, the Tehelka newspaper, towards the end of the year, came out with a report claiming that Zahira was
paid Rs 18 lakh by BJP legislator Madhu Srivastava to turn hostile.
Also see: In search of justice
Photographs: Deepak Salvi