The Hindu : New Delhi News : From `proclaimed offender' to a mere `missing link'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 24, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

From `proclaimed offender' to a mere `missing link'

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Once considered a crucial link in the Jessica Lal murder case, Ravinder Kishan Sudan, the man who had allegedly played a key role in the disappearance of the weapon of offence along with the uncle of the main accused, Manu Sharma, and in the records is still a "proclaimed offender", has now been reduced to a mere "missing link" in the case.

Following the Monday order by the trial court in the Jessica Lal murder case, in which all the nine accused have been acquitted, Sudan's status has also changed from a most-wanted "proclaimed offender" to almost a non-entity.

Though he has still not been acquitted in the case, a senior lawyer said it is unlikely that he would be the only one convicted for the crime.

Though the police did not recover the weapon of offence, in their investigation report they had found that the firearm used to kill Jessica at Tamarind Court restaurant in South Delhi in April 1999 had been passed on to Manu Sharma's uncle, Shyam Sunder Sharma, through one Ravinder.

Before the court, the police "expressed" their inability to recover the weapon of offence. Likewise, they were unable to trace Ravinder, who could have helped them properly re-construct the sequence of events leading to Jessica's murder and the subsequent happenings involving destruction of evidence.

"Even in the absence of the weapon of offence, Ravinder's testimony confirming that he had passed it on to the uncle of the main accused for disposal would have proved very effective for the prosecution's case," said a senior police officer.

But then before he could be caught, Ravinder allegedly fled from the country. While once rejecting the bail application of Manu Sharma in 2001, the High Court had pointed out Ravinder's role in the case.

For the record, the police just alerted the Interpol "seeking" help in tracing Ravinder.

"Had they brought Ravinder and confronted him with the other accused, the fate of the case could have been different," the police officer added.

While all the accused have been acquitted, Police Commissioner K.K. Paul on Thursday said the police are yet to take a decision on moving the High Court to challenge the lower court's order.

"We would go through the judgment and take legal opinion before taking a decision regarding moving High Court," he said.

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