Setalvad ex-aide seeks retrial in Best Bakery case

A former aide of social activist Teesta Setalvad has approached the Bombay high court seeking retrial of the 2002 Best Bakery case.

Rais Khan alleged that Setalvad not only fabricated evidence and falsely implicated innocent persons but also “managed” witnesses. Seeking a retrial of the case by an appropriate court in Mumbai, he asked that his evidence be recorded.

Khan, a former coordinator of the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) — of which the activist is a secretary — requested that a notice be served on Setalvad to explain her conduct and clarify allegations of fabrication of proof.

He even sought that he and Setalvad be subjected to lie detector and polygraph tests to “bring out the truth”. Khan claimed that he used to get funds from Setalvad to organise press conferences for riot victims and meet relevant expenses. He alleged that getting compensation for the victims was never her priority. Instead, he added, she was only concerned with ensuring that the witnesses
got money.

Responding to his affidavit, a press statement issued by the CJP said, “Rais Khan is acting under instructions from persons with vested interests. The courts will vindicate us.”

Khan’s charges are significant as in April this year, Yasmeen Shaikh, the sister-in-law of Zaheera Shaikh and a key prosecution witness in the case, had also filed an affidavit in the HC, claiming that she was “lured and misguided” by Setalvad into giving false testimony.