Apex court upholds life for Manu Sharma in Jessica murder case

The Supreme Court Monday dismissed an appeal by Manu Sharma, Congress leader Venod Sharma’s son, challenging his conviction and life sentence in the April 1999 murder of ramp model Jessica Lall.

A bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and Swatanter Kumar upheld the Delhi High Court judgement, which convicted Sharma, who is serving life sentence in Tihar jail. Manu Sharma challenged his conviction and life sentence awarded by the Delhi High Court in December 2006.

The bench dismissed former union law minister Ram Jethmalani’s contention that the Delhi High Court had convicted his client under media pressure. It said that the prosecution has proved Sharma’s culpability in the murder beyond doubt.

Factors like Sharma’s flight from the scene of crime and the recovery of a similar bullet from Sharma’s vehicle prove that he was involved in the crime, the bench said.

The murder on the night of April 29-30, 1999, took place in the Tamarind Court restaurant in south Delhi. Sharma was visiting the restaurant, belonging to socialite Bina Ramani, with some of his friends and opened fire on Lall following a tiff over his demand for a drink when the establishment was to close for the day.