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The mangled remains of the BEST
bus near Ghatkopar railway station on December 2, 2002
Police investigations in the Ghatkopar
BEST bus blast on December 2, 2002 seem to be falling apart.
Yesterday, the conductor of the BEST bus route 416, became the seventh key witness to turn hostile before the special POTA court hearing the case.
Deposing before special judge A P Bhangale, the conductor denied that he had identified accused Arif Hussain Sabir Hussain alias Panwala, Haroon Rashid Mohammed Yamin Lohar and Rashid Ahmed Abdul Malaik Ansari as the persons who had planted the bomb in the bus.
The conductor, who cannot be named under POTA rules, was the only “prime eyewitness” according to the police.
Admitting that the conductor was the prime witness in the case, public prosecutor Rohin Salian said, “He was the one who saw the accused when they got into the bus.
The circumstances under which the witnesses turned hostile should be investigated,” added Salian. Prosecution sources admitted that the police have no other witness who could link the accused to the conspiracy.
“The conductor was our strongest witness.”
The prosecution have so far examined over 115 witnesses in the case, a majority of them are people who were injured when the bomb went off in the BEST bus near Ghatkopar station.
Of the witnesses examined in connection with Dr Mateen’s role, six have already turned hostile, including two doctors at the J J Hospital. Only one doctor stuck to his statement given to the police.
Dr Abdul Mateen, Muzammil Jameel, Altaf, Imran Rehman, Taufiq, Rashid, Abdul Malik Ansari and Haroon Yamin Lohar are facing trial for the blast in a BEST bus in Ghatkopar on December 2, 2002, that killed two persons and injured 50 others.
‘I do not remember’, is what most of the witnesses told the court
(Under POTA rules witnesses cannot be named)
Witness 1
Conductor of BEST bus Route 416
in which a blast occurred on
December 2, 2002.
* What they told the police
Four people, including Arif who
was carrying a cloth bag with a tiffin box, initially got into the bus.
Then, a lady in a burkha and a child got first on and sat at the back.
The four then got off. The lady and the child were the last people to get
off before the blast. Police claimed the conductor had identified all four
as the persons who planted the bomb.
* What they said in court
On June 22, 2003, the police called
me to identify some accused in the jail. I did not identify a single accused.
I told the police the same thing and have not given anything in writing
to the police.
Witnesses 2, & 3
Three doctors working at J J Hospital,
who used to stay at the hostel in the campus
* What they told the police
Co-accused Muzammil Jameel, Imran
Rehman Khan and wanted accused Imran of Hyderabad used to have frequent
meetings with Dr Mateen in his hostel room. They used to move around suspiciously
in the J J Hospital premises and talk in hushed tones. They also discussed
the Gujarat riots and jihad.
* What they said in court
Two of the doctors denied giving
any statement to the police. The third doctor said that he had seen Imran
in Dr Mateen’s room, but denied that they were moved around in a “suspicious”
manner.
Witness 4
Cashier at Hotel Almas
* What he told the police
Dr Mateen, Imran Rehman Khan and
Imran of Hyderabad used to frequent the hotel where they had discussions
on the riots.
* What he said in court
“I don’t remember. There are hundreds
of people who come to the hotel.”
Witness 5
Owner of a cyber café in
J J Hospital premises
* What he told the police
Dr Mateen and Muzammil used to
frequent the cyber café and send e-mails to Saudi Arabia.
* What he said in court
Denied he had given any such statement
to the police.
Witness 6
STD booth owner
* What he told the police
Dr Mateen and Muzammil made international
calls to Saudi Arabia.
* What he said in court
“I don’t remember.”
Witness 7
Dhobi who used to visit the hostel
to collect clothes for washing.
* What he told the police
Muzammil and Imran used to visit
Dr Mateen in his hostel room.
* What he said in court
“I don’t remember.”
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