Considering that it is a ‘sensitive and serious’ case, a sessions court conducting the trial in the Suleman Usman bakery case where policemen had allegedly fired on unarmed workers in a bakery in Dongri during the 1993 Bombay riots, has directed that the Commissioner of Police appoint a competent officer to secure the presence of witnesses.
As many as eight workers were killed and 12 others injured in the incident. Seven policemen stand trial. Ram Deo Tyagi, then the Joint Commissioner of Police, who was the main accused, had been discharged from the case with nine other policemen.
On the last date of the trial, the court noted in its proceedings that the prosecutor made the submission that the concerned police officer attached to the Pydhonie police station where the case was lodged, was not cooperating to conduct the case. Additional Sessions Judge AA Kulkarni noted that it is noticed that the officer is not competent to secure the presence of witnesses despite repeated directions. The court noted further that the trial in the case began in Feb 2019 and that the case has been pending since 2001.
“As the case is serious and sensitive and pending since 2001, it is necessary to direct the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai to look into the matter and appoint a compatible officer for the purpose of securing witnesses and conducting the case properly,” Judge Kulkarni noted in the proceedings.
The court directed that a letter be issued accordingly. It then directed the officer, who was present before it, to file an acknowledgement from the CP of its letter. It has fixed the case for a response from the police chief to its letter on Nov 5.
It may be noted that in December 2019 too, a predecessor of the judge had directed the deputy commissioner of police to appear before the court. Then, a witness was held waiting as the prosecution could not locate documents related to him and eventually also failed to find the same.
