SC to decide on Manu Sharma’s fate on Monday

The Supreme Court will decide the fate of Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma's son Manu Sharma, who has challenged his conviction and life sentence awarded by the Delhi High Court in the Jessica Lall murder case, on Monday.

The Supreme Court will decide the fate of Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma's son Manu Sharma, who has challenged his conviction and life sentence awarded by the Delhi High Court in the Jessica Lall murder case, on Monday.

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A Bench of Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice Swantanter Kumar had reserved its verdict on February 18 after hearing senior advocate Ram Jethmalani for Manu alias Siddharth Vasisth and Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium on behalf of the prosecution.

Jethmalani had assailed the HC verdict that reversed the trial court's decision acquitting Manu. He had alleged that the High Court Bench had simply made up its mind to convict the accused. On the other hand, Subramanium had contended there was sufficient evidence to connect Manu to the crime.

According to the prosecution, Lall was shot dead allegedly by Manu Sharma at the Tamarind Court Cafe restaurant owned by socialite Bina Ramani at Qutub Colonade in South Delhi on the night of April 29, 1999.

A Delhi trial court had acquitted Manu on February 21, 2006 but the Delhi High Court set the verdict aside on December 18, 2006.

The High Court had also convicted two other accused — Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav's son Vikas Yadav and Amarjeet Singh Gill — for destruction of evidence.

They have also challenged their conviction and four-year jail sentences.