Mumbai: A sessions court has warned the prosecution that it will direct the police commissioner to remain present before it, if the police fails to produce witnesses during the trial in the Suleman Usman bakery firing case of 1993.
The case concerns firing by policemen during the 1993 Bombay Riots on unarmed workers in Suleman Usman bakery in the Dongri area. The main accused in the case was former police commissioner Ram Deo Tyagi who was the joint commissioner of police (crime) during the incident. He was discharged from the case along with some other accused and seven policemen now stand trial.
Case pending since 2001
On the last date, the court had directed that the police commissioner appoint a competent officer to ensure that witnesses remain present for the trial. It had said the police officer handling the case was not competent to secure the presence of witnesses despite repeated directions. Calling the case a “sensitive and serious” one that is pending since 2001, it had directed that a letter be issued to the commissioner to look into the matter and appoint another officer.
On Wednesday, the court received an acknowledgment of its letter from the Pydhonie police that is the prosecution in the case, but not from the police commissioner. The prosecutor informed the court that a new officer has been appointed by the police station. Addressing the new officer, the Additional Sessions Judge AA Kulkarni said that the court will ask the police commissioner to appear before it if a witness is not produced on the trial’s next date. The court was assured that a witness will be brought on the next date.
