Jethmalani slams cops, defends Manu

New Delhi: Bina Ramani, a key witness in the Jessica Lall murder case, gave a statement against accused Manu Sharma under police pressure, alleged defence lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Wednesday

“If she (Ramani) does not give statement in favour of prosecution, she will be made an accused for destruction of evidence in this case under section 201 of IPC, as she had cleaned up the blood stains from the place of occurrence on the day," he said in his opening argument.

The prosecution strongly relies upon Ramani’s statement to prove that Sharma murdered Lall, a model, in Delhi’s Tamarind Court restaurant on the intervening night of April 29-30, 1999. Ramani’s owned the now defunct restaurant.

Jethmalani said Ramani's statement that she saw Lall falling down after a gunshot and that she chased Manu till the gate was "exaggerated".

"The police have put all words in her mouth in order to frame Manu in the case."

He also accused the police of striking a deal with Ramani and her family that they would be let off in all other cases provided they gave statements in favour of prosecution.

"Ramani was scared of police as she was running an illegal bar and serving liquor without license."

‘Trial by media’

Jethmalani alleged that media’s biased reporting had made Manu guilty before public and the court should not pay attention to it.

Justice R S Sodhi replied to this allegation by saying "the court would not comment on this as media has been doing its duty and it will rely upon the facts and the evidence produced by the prosecution keeping in mind that the accused persons should get a fair trial".

Jethmalani said police showed Manu's photograph to Ramani during recording of statement, so that she could identify him in court.

Jethmalani said police had failed to trace the real killer and framed Manu in the case. Police manipulated witnesses, particularly the Ramani family, to secure Sharma’s conviction.

He rejected the prosecution's claim that Sharma had bought .22 bore pistol from Karnal and said police needed to prove that if the bullet recovered from Lall’s body belonged to Manu.