Jessica murder: Court summons Shayan Munshi in perjury case

Bollywood actor Shayan Munshi and aballistic expert were on Wednesday summoned by a Delhi court on complaints seeking their prosecution for turning hostile in the Jessica Lall murder.

Bollywood actor Shayan Munshi and aballistic expert were on Wednesday summoned by a Delhi court on complaints seeking their prosecution for turning hostile in the Jessica Lall murder case.

Chief metropolitan magistrate Vidya Prakash summoned Munshi and Prem Kumar Manocha for December 18 after taking cognisance of the complaint filed by the Delhi high court registrar on the basis of the March 22 high court order directing their prosecution for perjury.

"After considering averments made in the criminal complaint filed under section 340 CrPC (relating to lying on oath)...I take cognizance in the matter," the magistrate said.

"...Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case as well as the material available on record, court is of the view that there is sufficient ground to summon the accused in the case. Accordingly accused be summoned for December 18," he added.

Munshi, who was led as primary witness of prosecution in the case, and Manocha are accused of lying on oath during trial before the sessions court and introducing the "two-gun theory", which was the primary defence taken by the convicts.

The high court registrar had filed two separate complaints against them in September.

"The evidence of accused Shayan Munshi was on a material and critical position of the case." The complaint said the trial court had acquitted the accused saying from statements of Munshi and Manocha it cannot be said that the two shots were fired from the same firearm.