HC wants all files related to case by April 18

The session court that gave the verdict in the Jessica Lall case is busy compiling the records of the case for the high court.

The Session court that gave the verdict in the Jessica Lall case is busy compiling the records of the case for the high court. The high court has asked for all the files related to case to reach it before April 18, the next date of hearing.

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The registrar general of the Delhi high court on Friday issued an order to the sessions court to transfer the records of the case. The court is likely to send it by the end of this week, said court sources. The huge bundle of records (three thick files) comprise of every document related to the case — from the FIR to the judgment, including the controversial CFSL report, records of all the evidences, statements of witnesses, clippings of media reports and the various applications filed by both the prosecution and the defence counsel.

Things are moving at an exception ally fast pace, said legal experts. But the Jessica ripple effect has had very little effect on other cases.

The Pridarshini Mattoo murder case is still struggling for an early hearing despite the fact that six years have passed since the appeal for a re view was filed.

"Had the media followed the verdict in the Pridarshini murder case the way they followed Jessica, Chaman Mattoo, father of the deceased might have had some hope today. In routine cases of appeal in the Delhi high court one usually gets a second date of hearing after two to three years of admitting the appeal", said Tarun Goomber, a criminal lawyer.

The appeal in Mattoo's case has only appeared six times on the court's official website since it was admitted on July 18, 2000. As per court sources, the paperbook — a compilation of all papers from the trial by the high court registry — is still under process.