Jessica murder: Court summons Munshi in perjury complaint
5 Oct 2013 5:27 AM IST
A Delhi court on Thursday summoned Bollywood actor Shayan Munshi and a ballistic expert on complaints seeking their prosecution for retracting their testimony in the Jessica Lall murder trial.
Chief metropolitan magistrate Vidya Prakash issued summons for Munshi and ballistic expert Prem Kumar Manocha for 18 December after taking cognisance of the complaint filed by the Delhi high court registrar. This has been done on the basis of a 22 March high court order directing their prosecution for perjury.
The court taking cognisance of the complaint said, ‘After considering averments made in the criminal complaint filed under section 340 CrPC (relating to lying on oath)...I take cognizance in the matter.’
It added, ‘Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case as well as the material available on record, the court is of the view that there is sufficient ground to summon the accused in the case. Accordingly accused be summoned for 18 December.’
Two complaints have been filed before a Delhi court seeking prosecution of Munshi and the ballistic expert for retracting their testimony in the Jessica Lall murder trial.
The Delhi high court on 22 March ordered that a perjury case be registered against witnesses Munshi and Manocha for turning hostile during their deposition.
Munshi, who was the prime witness of the prosecution, and Manocha were accused of lying on oath during a trial before the sessions court.
Lall was shot dead at Tamarind Court, a restaurant owned by socialite Bina Ramani, in south Delhi’s Mehrauli area on the night of 29-30 April, 1999.
According to the police, she was shot dead by Manu Sharma, son of Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma after she refused to serve him a drink at the party. Munshi had lodged the FIR in the case.
The trial court had acquitted Manu Sharma but the high court overturned the verdict, convicting him and sentencing him to life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court in April 2010 upheld the high court’s order in the murder case and also endorsed its findings on the issue of perjury.
Chief metropolitan magistrate Vidya Prakash issued summons for Munshi and ballistic expert Prem Kumar Manocha for 18 December after taking cognisance of the complaint filed by the Delhi high court registrar. This has been done on the basis of a 22 March high court order directing their prosecution for perjury.
The court taking cognisance of the complaint said, ‘After considering averments made in the criminal complaint filed under section 340 CrPC (relating to lying on oath)...I take cognizance in the matter.’
It added, ‘Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case as well as the material available on record, the court is of the view that there is sufficient ground to summon the accused in the case. Accordingly accused be summoned for 18 December.’
Two complaints have been filed before a Delhi court seeking prosecution of Munshi and the ballistic expert for retracting their testimony in the Jessica Lall murder trial.
The Delhi high court on 22 March ordered that a perjury case be registered against witnesses Munshi and Manocha for turning hostile during their deposition.
Munshi, who was the prime witness of the prosecution, and Manocha were accused of lying on oath during a trial before the sessions court.
Lall was shot dead at Tamarind Court, a restaurant owned by socialite Bina Ramani, in south Delhi’s Mehrauli area on the night of 29-30 April, 1999.
According to the police, she was shot dead by Manu Sharma, son of Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma after she refused to serve him a drink at the party. Munshi had lodged the FIR in the case.
The trial court had acquitted Manu Sharma but the high court overturned the verdict, convicting him and sentencing him to life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court in April 2010 upheld the high court’s order in the murder case and also endorsed its findings on the issue of perjury.
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