Mumbai: A retired policeman, who was on patrol duty during the 1993 Bombay riots near Suleman Bakery at Mohammed Ali Road, denied in court on Wednesday that a statement of his, wherein he had said a policeman from Dongri police station had recovered eight hidden swords from the water tank of the bakery, had ever been recorded by the Crime Branch in 1993.
While the prosecution case now, after a later inquiry, is that 17 policemen had fired on unarmed Muslims in the bakery, resulting in the death of eight men and wounding 12 others, the defence claims there was firing from the bakery on police and police had opened fire to contain the situation.
During his cross-examination, when asked about the swords, the witness said he did not know about that part of his statement and does not know why it is in his statement. He denied the statement was ever recorded or that he had stated anything that was mentioned.
The witness said in court neither he nor his team members were present at the time of alleged firing from the bakery at the police picket and that around 12.30pm, the then joint commissioner RD Tyagi and his staff had come and after the inspector reported to him, Tyagi and his staff had entered the bakery, after which he had heard firing from inside.
“For a long time the firing was going on. A big van from Dongri police station came there and the wounded persons were taken in it,” the witness said.
He said no policemen were injured in the firing. Asked if he remembered the policemen who had entered the bakery, he said he could not identify them, as they were wearing helmets and were at a distance from where he stood.
During the cross-examination, it was pointed out to the former policeman that in his past statements, he had never stated that no policemen had been injured in the incident. The defence advocate alleged the witness had fired five rounds from his rifle and had given a statement against the police then as he was threatened he would otherwise be made an accused. The witness denied it.
