NEW DELHI, 7 March 2006 — Following the public outrage over Delhi Police’s failure to provide evidence for the prosecution of the accused in the famous Jessica Lal murder case, police yesterday said they would appeal the conviction of the nine accused in the 1999 murder of the ramp model.
“An appeal is being filed in consultation with experts. We will be going to the court in a day or two,” Police Commissioner K.K. Paul said at a news conference here. Certain infirmities (in the judgment) will be mentioned as the basis of our going to the court,” Paul said.
Describing the police action as an “important step” in the case, he said, “A lot of material has come up in the aftermath of the judgment and lots of doubts have crept in on the basis of the material presented in the trial.’
In an apparent damage control exercise, the police filed an FIR (first information report) yesterday for “destruction of, tampering with and fabrication of evidence” and common intention to commit the crime and conspiracy charge against “unnamed persons.” Paul said.
“We have registered a case and investigations would be carried out,” he said, adding that the new case was filed after consultations with the additional solicitor general of India.
The case has been registered at the Mehrauli police station.
A murder case had been registered at this station after Jessica was shot dead on April 9, 1999 by main accused Manu Sharma when she refused to serve him a drink during a party at the Tamarind Court restaurant where she had been filling in as a bartender.
Paul said a team headed by Special Commissioner (Intelligence) U.K. Katna had been constituted to probe the fresh case. “The officers have been selected and posted for the case so that there is no delay in investigations,” he added. “The performance of the officers would be closely monitored,” he said.
