Resurrection of Jessica Lall

Jessica Lall won what a lot of other innocent victims dont in our god-awful system, public enragement for her cause. More importantly, public anger that caused the authorities to wake up and notice it, thus prompting them into action.

Of course, the case took place in a high profile socialite's rich restaurant, filled with who's who of Delhi's worthless rich elite, perfect fodder for the Indian media to catch on and show that they 'care.' Thats food for a whole new rant, but I'll stick to Jessica for now.

So there were petitions galore, I can think of Indian Express and NDTV doing them, there were mass email campaigns, and of course, SMS forwards all over the place. I think it had some effect, because now the central government is getting itself involved. They had hinted at a relook at the case when it was brought up in The Parliament a week or two ago, but I think its a certainty now. Forget the Centre, the President of India is involved now! Considering the absolute respect he generates from all and sundry in this country, I have reasons to believe his involvement will see some positive action.

As for Manu Sharma, he visited Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K last week to thank the Holy Mother for being acquitted. Perhaps I should say "celebrated too soon, Manu?"

The case itself has all the ingredients of a high-profile drama. Its got money, power, influence and a conniving police force, all mixed together into an 80's action flick, except here there is no hero, but a weakened family of Jessica. As for the general public, i'm impressed, to say the least. I thought our society had lost all its feelings as it moved forward. As for the media, well, how about giving the same attention to the thousands of similar victims who suffer in the remotest corners of India. I'm an eternal optimist, and I will say, "hum honge kaamyab ek din."

While searching for the latest news, heres a murky story I came across, apparently one of the flip-floppers has died of liver failure.

Flip-flop witness dead, no one knows who footed his bills

New Delhi, March 5: On April 29, 1999, I had come from Allahabad to Delhi and went to meet my sister’s son Jitender who worked at Tamarind Court. I was sitting next to the piano at the bar waiting for him to finish work. I saw some youngsters, including Manu Sharma coming to the bar and asking for liquor from Malini Ramani and Lall but they said the bar was closed. Manu then shot Lall.
— Key witness Karan Rajput’s police statement in 1999 chargesheet

I was not in Delhi on April 29, 1999. I was then in Dasua, Punjab. I came to know of the incident through newspapers. My nephew worked in Tamarind Court...But I usually used to visit his house...not his place of work.
—Rajput in court on May 15, 2002

Within three years of this flip-flop on the Jessica Lall murder, Karan Rajput died in Delhi of liver failure. Today, his nephew Jitender Raj claims his uncle, who didn’t have a steady job, lied in court because all his needs were ‘‘taken care of well’’ by someone.

Raj, who still works for Bina Ramani, adds that nobody in the family knows who paid Rajput’s medical bills till he died in January last year. ‘‘It’s a mystery,’’ he told Newsline.

One police note that turned the case in court
When Delhi Police submitted its chargesheet in the Jessica Lall murder case in court, here’s what ‘‘got attached’’ with it: a three-page handwritten note titled ‘‘Directions/instructions’’ on how to fight the case. Defence lawyer RK Naseem, who found the note, wrapped up the case.

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Heres the news about the President being involved. Of course, its added with NDTV's own tom-tomming of its efforts.

Kalam promises action in Jessica case

resident APJ Abdul Kalam has promised to take "necessary action" after accepting NDTV viewers' petition asking for justice in the Jessica Lall murder case.

"I will study this petition and will take all necessary action after studying it. This is my promise," said Kalam.

ase reopened

Meanwhile, bowing to huge public pressure, the Delhi police have also registered fresh FIRs in the case.

Announcing this, Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul said they will also file an appeal in the Delhi High Court against the lower court judgement.

"We will be going to the Delhi High Court in a day or two. We will wait for the orders of the High Court," said Paul.

While not directly commenting on a retrial, the Delhi police chief said that the High Court will decide what to do about the "infirmities" in the case.
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Special crack team to investigate Jessica Lall case

A special crack team was on Monday named under Special Commissioner (Intelligence) U K Katna to investigate the case but "nobody has been named in the FIR," Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul told reporters here.

Admitting that a "lot of material" has come up in the aftermath of the judgement and the media, which have created "lots of doubt" about the original probe, he said a new FIR was filed in the Mehrauli Police Station today under various sections of Indian Penal Code.

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And a really interesting news, this. I read it a few days ago, but its still cool!

Manu Sharma: Acquitted, but shunned

He might be among the richest men here and the son of a powerful Haryana minister, but that doesn't seem to be making Manu Sharma - main accused in model Jessica Lal's murder - feel wanted in his own hometown.

ut the public also seems to be isolating Manu aka Siddharth Vashishtha, with hundreds of mobile users in Chandigarh receiving SMSs asking them not to visit or use any of the night clubs, restaurants, hotels, theatres and other facilities that he and his family own in the city.

Many city youngsters are keeping away from Blue Ice - a nightclub and bar owned and run by Manu in the city's main commercial hub, Sector 17.

To keep his movements secret, Manu has not been in touch with any of his close friends, with whom he had been moving around and partying in recent months after his release on bail in the murder case.