The Hindu : Front Page : Life term for Manu Sharma

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Thursday, Dec 21, 2006
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Life term for Manu Sharma

Nirnimesh Kumar

Victim Jessica Lal was killed seven years ago in south Delhi

"SATISFYING JUSTICE": Manu Sharma comes out of the Delhi High Court on Wednesday after he was sentenced to life in the Jessica Lal murder case. — Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav

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NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sentenced Siddharth Vashishtha alias Manu Sharma to life in the Jessica Lal murder case and imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 on him.

Rejecting Standing Counsel Mukta Gupta's plea that Sharma should be given death sentence, a Division Bench, comprising Justices R.S. Sodhi and P.K. Bhasin, said: "We feel justice would be satisfied if we award the sentence of imprisonment for life to Siddharth Vashishtha alias Manu Sharma."

The Bench said the fine amount, if deposited, would be paid to Jessica Lal's family. In case of default, Sharma would undergo imprisonment for three years.

The prosecution case was that Jessica Lal was shot dead by Manu Sharma when she refused to serve liquor to him at an illegal bar in south Delhi seven years ago.

On February 21 this year, a trial court acquitted Sharma and other accused.

The High Court also held Sharma guilty under Section 27 of the Arms Act and sentenced him to four-years with a fine of Rs 2000. In default, he would undergo another three months of jail term.

He was also given a separate sentence of four years for destruction of evidence under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and a fine of Rs 2000.

The sentences would run concurrently, the Bench said.

The court also sentenced co-accused — Vikas Yadav and Amardeep Singh Gill to four-year rigorous imprisonment with Rs. 2,000 fine each under Section 120-B, read with Section 201.

The court on Monday held Sharma and the co-accused guilty.

The Bench said: "We are of the view that though this case is one that has shocked the confidence of society in the criminal justice delivery system, yet it cannot be said that there is material to suggest a probability that convict Siddharth Vashishtha alias Manu Sharma would continue to commit acts of violence that would constitute a threat to society.

"There is also nothing on record to suggest that there is no probability that the convict can be reformed or rehabilitated."

The court rejected the plea of counsel that Gill be released on probation of good conduct or after an admonition, saying that "a grave offence had been committed and he continued to commit an act by which he intended to shield the guilty and remove the evidence."

Earlier, Mr. Gupta said Sharma deserved death sentence as he had no remorse after murdering Jessica Lal.

Sharma's counsel R.K. Naseem said an appeal would be filed in the Supreme Court.

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