Zaheera Shaikh, prime witness in the Best bakery case, who is facing charges of giving false evidence during the retrial, was not produced before a sessions court on Friday. The matter has now been deferred to April 25.

Zaheera was not produced because policemen were not available to escort her to court, as most of them were deployed for security arrangments in view of the strike by employees of Bombay Suburban and Electric Supply Undertaking, the prosecution said.

Zaheera's brother Nasibbullah was present but her mother Sahrunissa and sister Sahira did not appear and were represented by lawyer Umesh Deshpande. The court exempted their appearance for Friday and asked them to appear on April 25.

• Why did Zaheera Sheikh have to lie?

Judge Abhay Thipsay said the court would give Zaheera particulars of perjury charges on Friday so that she was ready to face summary proceedings on April 25.

Zaheera, who is undergoing one year imprisonment imposed on her by the Supreme Court for contempt of court, has been issued notice for perjury along with her family persons. The judge had observed on an earlier occasion that 'it is very obvious that they have lied before the court. Zaheera has said she did not know whether she had lodged the FIR in this case. She had also denied knowing the accused and also said she was not aware whether she had moved the Supreme Court'.

'All these statements made by Zaheera during retrial in the court here shows that she had lied...no doubt she was a victim but I am sure she was tutored by someone. After making such statements she cannot escape perjury proceedings', the judge had remarked.

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