Bumbling cops drop name of 2-month-old from chargesheet

Father had to seek anticipatory bail for baby girl who was one of eight accused in dowry harassment case

Father had to seek anticipatory bail for baby girl who was one of eight accused in dowry harassment case

The Nehru Nagar police have finally excised the name of two-month-old Zoya Khan from a chargesheet filed in June in the Vikhroli's Metropolitan Magistrate Court against eight persons accused of dowry harassment, and criminal breach of trust.

MiD DAY had in its June 21 issue reported how the Mumbai sessions court on June 17 granted anticipatory bail to their youngest bail applicant ever Zoya aka Mehak Shamshuddin Khan.

Zoya's father Shamsuddin had to secure anticipatory bail for her for a surety amount of Rs 10,000. Zoya's name figured in the complaint filed by Shakila Khan (27), Shamshuddin's divorced wife.

Zoya's father Shamshuddin Khan, his second wife Reshma, a neighbour and four other relatives were also mentioned in the chargesheet.

Sessions Judge S N Sardesai granted bail to all applicants except for Shamsuddin, who was subsequently granted bail as well.

RELIEVED: Zoya with her mother Reshma Khan. Zoya's name figured in the complaint filed by her father's divorced wife, Shakila Khan.

Shamshuddin's lawyer Anil Bhole said, "The police's latest chargesheet filed at the Vikhroli Metropolitan Magistrate Court last month does not mention Zoya's name anymore.

The police removed Zoya's name from the chargesheet after they were hauled up by the media."

Inspector Jaywant Godse of the Nehru Nagar police station, who is also the investigation officer in the case, said, "We filed the chargesheet on time, and it did not mention the baby's name.
u00a0
The baby's name was nowhere in the picture when the complaint was lodged with the police.

How can a baby be accused of dowry harassment? Lawyer Bhole was responsible for the goof up. We had nothing to do with it."

MiD DAY report on June 21.

How Zoya got chargesheeted

In a case straight out of Ripley's Believe It Or Not, the Mumbai sessions court on June 17, 2009 granted anticipatory bail for two-month-old baby Zoya aka Mehak Shamshuddin Khan.

Lucky for her, or Zoya u00a0could have ended up behind bars.

Zoya's mother Reshma Khanu00a0 said the family was called for an inquiry to Nehru Nagar police station.

She sat there with the baby in her arms for 10 hours without reprieve, from 1 pm till 10 pm. She even had to feed her baby u00a0in front of the police and visitors.

Zoya, who has got bail on a surety amount of Rs 10,000, is a member of the Khan family from Kurla who have been accused by Shamshuddin's u00a0ex-wife Shakila Khan (27) in a dowry harassment case.