Shayan Munshi to face perjury trial in Jessica Lall murder case

Actor Shayan Munshi and ballistic expert P S Manocha will now face perjury trial in Jessica Lall murder case for turning hostile during the trail. The Delhi high court on Wednesday ordered the case against Munshi and Manocha.

A bench comprising justices S Ravindra Bhat and G P Mittal said, “The registrar general of this court to file a complaint before the competent court having jurisdiction to consider and take action under section 340 of CrPC against the respondents (Munshi and Manocha).”

The High Court, however, acquitted 17 other witnesses.

In April 1999, model Jessica Lall was shot dead by Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma’s son Manu Sharma, after she refused to serve a drink to him at a late night party at socialite Bina Ramani’s restaurant in Delhi in presence of several people. Police claimed later that in his initial statement Munshi did take name of Manu Sharma as he was standing near to Lall. Also Manocha was present nearby. However once the trial started, several witnesses turned hostile and reverse their statements. Without adequate evidence trial court had to let go Manu Sharma. However, after huge public pressure and PIL, High Court opened the case and in December 2006, it had awarded life imprisonment to Manu Sharma.

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