The Hindu : National : `Dispute over drinks not the motive for Jessica's murder'

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Friday, Nov 10, 2006
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`Dispute over drinks not the motive for Jessica's murder'

Nirnimesh Kumar

Her murder was planned: Jethmalani

NEW DELHI: Trying to build an antithesis of the prosecution's version of the Jessica Lal murder case, eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Thursday challenged before the Delhi High Court the dispute over drinks as the motive for the murder of ramp model Jessica Lal attributed to prime accused Siddharth Vashishtha alias Manu Sharma.

Mr. Jethmalani, appearing for Manu Sharma, submitted before a Division Bench comprising Justice R.S. Sodhi and Justice P.K. Bhasin that Jessica Lal was not killed following refusal of drinks by her but for a more powerful motive.

Continuing his argument on the appeal filed by the Delhi police against the acquittal of Manu Sharma and eight others in the case by the trial court, Mr. Jethmalani submitted that the culprit shot her when she had challenged his "sexual manliness."

"Jessica was killed not for what she did not have but for what she did have," Mr. Jethmalani stated elaborating on his theory of the motive of the murder.

He further submitted that rich people did not visit the Tamarind Court restaurant where Jessica was killed just for drinks but for more important reasons.

"If the motive was to have drinks, the culprit would have killed fashion designer Malini Ramani whom he had initially quarrelled with for whiskies," Mr. Jethmalani stated.

He further submitted that a few elite people knew that the restaurant served something more that liquor.

Mr. Jethmalani also supported the submission of the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) in the case, S.K. Saxena, in the trial court that Jessica was killed in a planned manner.

On Wednesday, Mr. Jethmalani had submitted that a "tall Sikh gentleman" had shot Jessica.

He will resume his argument next week on Tuesday.

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