By Kushal Deenadayalan Volunteer at AFRS

 

Abstract

The Jessica Lal kill case was a thrilling criminal trial in India that brought to light genuine concerns around riches, control, and the responsibility of the legal framework.

Jessica Lal, a show and barkeep, deplorably misplaced her life on April 29, 1999, amid a party in Delhi that was facilitated by socialite Bina Ramani. The most suspect, Manu Sharma, who is the child of powerful lawmaker Vinod Sharma, supposedly shot her after she declined to serve him liquor after hours.

Introduction

The Jessica Lal murder case is a completely excessive-profile homicide case. this situation has continually made me marvel how cruel who one can be out of nowhere shot a harmless woman who refused to serve him a drink of his choice. It made us trust that justice nevertheless prevails despite the fact of who the accused is. It made us be given the reality that justice can be behind schedule but, ultimately, it is going to be served. Media performed a powerful role in this case. Jessica’s case was the beginning of an unbiased media that led a national marketing campaign for justice.

Case Summary

Accused = Manu Sharma

Victim Name = Jessica Lal

Date of Incident = 30 April 1999

High Court Acquittal = 2006 (Delhi High Court)

Born on = 5 January 1965 India

Died on = 30 April 1999 aged 34 New Delhi

Cause of Death = Gunshot Wound to the Head

Occupation of Victim = Model

Final Judgement= 20 December 2006

Judges = Supreme Court of India Chief Justice Sathasivam and Justice Swatantar Kumar

 

 

Case Facts

In April 1999, Jessica Lal, a model, was fatally shot by Manu Sharma at a social gathering in Delhi, following her refusal to serve him alcohol. Notably, Sharma is the son of a prominent political figure, which added significant public interest to the incident.

The trial that followed was fraught with complications. A considerable number of eyewitnesses retracted their statements, resulting in Sharma’s acquittal in 2006. This verdict triggered widespread public indignation and calls for accountability.

Extensive media coverage and collective public demonstrations played a crucial role in prompting judicial review. Subsequently, the Delhi High Court overturned the initial acquittal later that year, sentencing Sharma to life imprisonment.

Sharma’s eventual release in 2020 renewed debate over the efficacy of India’s legal system. The case remains a stark example of issues such as witness intimidation, political influence, and protracted judicial processes within the country.

Case Background

April twenty ninth,1999; the date whilst the incident befell. there has been a celebration organized through leave out Bina Ramani, a resident of Delhi at Tamarind court restaurant in Mehrauli, Delhi. With an envisioned guest listing of 300 human beings. Jessica turned into employed as a version barmaid at the birthday celebration. She was doing her responsibility along with certainly one of her pals, Shayan Munshi.

Medico Legal Report

Conducted By: Dr. K Goel Aiims Delhi
Date of Autopsy: 1st May 1999

External Examination:

·         Gender: Female

·         Age: ~34 years

·         Height: 165 cm

·         Identification Marks: Tattoo on left forearm

·         Clothing: Blood-stained party dress

Internal Examination:

·         Skull: Fractured parietal bone with brain tissue lacerations.

·         Brain: Extensive damage with bullet tract through the right temporal lobe.

·         Cause of Death: Hemorrhagic shock due to firearm injury to the head.

 

1. Cause of death

·         Gunshot wound: The death was caused by a pill injury to the head (temporary area).

·         Fire range: Close ranges shot (near contact or within a few feet) suggested deliberate work.

·         Deadly injury: Bullet trajectory and brain damage confirmed immediate death.

2. Postmortem conclusion

·         Entry and exit wounds: A single bullet entry wound without any exhaust reflects the pill recorded inside the skull.

·         Forensic Ballistic: 22 Caliber Bullets allegedly matched the gun (although the weapon was never recovered).

·         Death time: Estimated between 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm (immediately after shooting at the party).

3. Poisoning report

·         No alcohol/drugs: Jessica Lal had no traces of intoxication, which rejects any defense claims of changes under influence.

4. Legal importance

·         Corroborated Eyewitness Accounts: MLR supported the witness's statements that Manu Sharma fired from the near border in Jessica.

·         Contraindicate defense claims: The report rejected the principles of accidental firing or self -defense.

5. Challenges in the case

·         Weapon not recovered: Lack of ballistic evidence initially weakened the prosecution.

·         Delayed Autopsy: A slight delay in forensic processes raised questions but did not change the main conclusions.

Link Between The Murder

It became the bullets and casings left in the back of that spoke the loudest. The reputedly silent projectiles became the storytellers of a hidden conspiracy when analyzed beneath the scrutiny of forensic.

Manu Sharma (born 1977), born Siddharth Vashisht and now referred to as Siddharth Sharma, is an Indian convicted assassin who was imprisoned for the 1999 homicide of Jessica Lal. He was launched in June 2020 on grounds of excellent conduct. Sharma is the son of the former Indian country wide Congress chief, Vinod Sharma and the brother of media baron, Karthikeya Sharma.

 

Role of Forensic Ballistics

The Jessica Lal murder case was a high-profile criminal investigation in India that involved forensic ballistics to establish key evidence. Jessica, a model and bartender, was shot dead at a party in Delhi on April 29, 1999, after she refused to serve alcohol to the prime suspect, Manu Sharma son of wealthy politician Vinod Sharma.

1. Recuperation of Fired Cartridge cases

·         22 quality cartridge cases were discovered on the crime scene.

·         Those have been sent to the significant Forensic technological know-how Laboratory (CFSL) for analysis.

2. Firearm identity

·         The bullets have been fired from a 22-caliber pistol.

·         The suspect, Manu Sharma, allegedly used his father’s certified revolver (later claimed to be "misplaced").

·         Because actual weapon changed into never recovered, ballistic specialists depended on microscopic striation marks on the bullets to fit them with take a look at-fired rounds from similar guns.

3. Gunshot Residue (GSR) analysis

·         GSR exams were performed on suspects to decide if they had currently fired a gun.

·         Manu Sharma and his friends had been examined, but delays in sample series weakened this evidence. Forensic professionals test-fired unique 22 caliber weapons to compare striations. The dearth of the real murder weapon made actual matching difficult, but the bullet traits strongly counseled 22 quality revolver.

4. Witness & Forensic Corroboration

·         Witnesses, including Shayan Munshi (who later became opposed), first stated they saw Manu Sharma firing the shots.

·         Forensic proof supported witness statements, however the weapon’s absence created reasonable doubt to begin with.

Supreme Court Judgment

The Supreme Court of India upheld the conviction of Manu Sharma (Siddharth Vashisht) in the Jessica Lal murder case, delivering its final judgment on April 19, 2010. The Court confirmed his life imprisonment under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and dismissed his appeal against the Delhi High Court’s 2006 verdict.

 

Conclusion

This case left a mark on every character’s coronary heart as it regarded very personal to everybody. As we all are conscious that Courts provide justice but if one believes to elevate his voice much like our gutsy and lionhearted media did, nobody can prevent us. this case became revolving around a political perspective which initially gave us a worry of biasness. but our judiciary device proved otherwise.

Dozens of witnesses pointed to Siddharth Vashisht, also referred to as Manu Sharma, the son of Vinod Sharma, a rich and influential Member of Parliament from Haryana, as the murderer. Manu Sharma was later convicted of the murder and sentenced to existence.