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This is the story of Delhi’s famous model Jessica Lal. The same Jessica Lal, who was murdered just because she refused to serve a peg of liquor to a nobleman. The same Jessica on whose murder case the superhit film No One Killed Jessica was made in 2011. The title of this film itself tells the story of Jessica.
Jessica was shot in a high profile club in the presence of hundreds of people, people heard the sound of gunshot and saw the killer running away, but when the case reached the court, 33 out of 33 witnesses turned hostile. He said that Jessica was killed, but it is not known who killed her. The next day the news appeared in the newspaper ‘No one killed Jessica’.
This fight continued for a long time. The court acquitted everyone, but Jessica’s sister Sabrina and the people of the country did not give up. Finally after 10 years Jessica got justice.
It is said that if Jessica were alive, she would have been a part of Bollywood films, but unfortunately this could not happen.
Today, read the sequential story of the high profile Jessica Lal murder case in 3 chapters of Ansuni Dastan –
Jessica Lal was born on 5 January 1965 in New Delhi, fondly called Shona by her family. Jessica was the elder daughter of the house. Sabrina was younger than him. Jessica, who dreamed of becoming a heroine since childhood, entered the world of modeling from an early age. Jessica had made a good name while modeling in Delhi. However, whenever she needed money, she used to earn money by doing some small work.
While modeling, Jessica met Malini Ramani. Malini was also a model, whose mother Bina Ramani had a restaurant named Tamarind Court in Qutub Colony Haveli, Mehrauli, Delhi. Malini’s father George Mailhot was a big businessman.
Socialite Bina Ramani with husband George Mailhot.
Bina Ramani was part of the high profile society, who once tied Rakhi to showman Raj Kapoor and many big personalities like Zeenat Aman were part of her friend circle.
Malini’s father George was about to shift to Canada in May 1999, due to which her mother organized a high-profile farewell party on 29 April. Malini knew that Jessica needed work. In such a situation, when her mother Beena needed a beautiful looking bar tender for a special party, Malini offered the job to Jessica. Jessica happily agreed to this work for extra income.
Jessica left home with her sister Sabrina in the morning. Sabrina drops them. At this time Jessica told him to come to Tamarind in the evening, both of them would have fun. That day, Jessica’s friend and model Shayan Munshi also came with her for bar tendering work.
At the party held at Tamarind Court restaurant on April 29, Jessica’s job was to serve liquor to high-profile guests, even though the restaurant did not even have a liquor license.
Although a private high profile party was organized that day at Tamarind Court Restaurant for Nam, but there were some guests who had reached there without invitation. The only condition was that he should have been high profile.
Killer Siddharth had reached that restaurant by chance.
Siddharth Sharma is the son of famous Haryana leader Vinod Sharma. Vinod Sharma has been an MP and Union Minister. His son Siddharth alias Manu was aware of his father’s money and power. On May 29, Siddharth was to leave for Chandigarh with his mother, but he decided to stay in Delhi instead of going to Chandigarh. He was staying with his friends in a house in New Friends Colony, Delhi. Everyone drank heavily. Suddenly late at night he remembered that there is a special party at Tamarind Court Restaurant on Wednesday. He picked up the car and reached the party at around 2 am with his three friends Vikas Yadav, Amardeep Gill and Alok Khanna.
Siddharth Sharma alias Manu is the son of leader Vinod Sharma.
Although it was a private party, Siddharth still entered it. He asked for liquor from bar tender Jessica Lal. When the party was almost over, Jessica refused to serve him alcohol. Seeing this, he took out 1000 rupees from his pocket and gave it to Jessica and then asked for liquor. Jessica refused again.
Seeing the insult in front of his friends, Siddharth took out a 22 caliber pistol from his pocket and fired three shots in the air. The noise in the party was so much that the guests present there were not alerted.
Siddharth then threatened Jessica and asked for alcohol. Jessica, strong in spirit, refused to drink alcohol even after being shot. As soon as she refuses for the third time, Siddharth shoots Jessica in the head. Jessica fell down as soon as she was shot, seeing which her friend Shayan Munshi, who was with her, started shouting loudly. There was complete silence in the party. Jessica was lying unconscious on the floor, soaked in blood.
Seeing this, restaurant owner Bina Ramani arrived and shouted at Siddharth and asked, Who are you? How did you bring a gun to the party?
In response he said, I did not fire.
Saying this he ran away with his three friends. Jessica was immediately taken to the nearby Ashlok Hospital, but from there she was referred to Apollo Hospital.
Meanwhile, Jessica’s sister Sabrina was called and informed that her sister had been taken to the hospital. After some time, it was said on the call that Jessica had been shot. Doctors declared him dead at Apollo Hospital. When his sister Sabrina got the news of this, she could not understand anything.
Sabrina Lal’s picture with sister Jessica.
On the other hand, Siddharth Sharma buried the weapon in the ground in Mehrauli itself and then everyone reached Vikas Yadav’s house in Ghaziabad.
As soon as information about the incident was received, Delhi Police started investigation. Statements of almost every person present in the party were taken. Many people said during police interrogation that they had seen Siddharth Sharma firing the bullet and running away. The important testimony in this case was that of Jessica’s friend Shayan Munshi, who was standing with Jessica at the time of the incident.
In his police statement, he said that Siddharth had opened fire. The police recorded the statement, which was also signed by Shayan.
Jessica’s friend Shayan Munshi.
Jessica’s friend told police he saw the shooting
Jessica’s close friend and Shayan Munshi, who was present with her at the party, had recorded his statement during the filing of the report, he was an important eyewitness in the case. In the police statement she said that it was Siddharth who shot Jessica. The police wrote down his statement and also took his signature.
In the investigation, the main accused Siddharth Sharma and his family absconded, while his two associates Alok Khanna and Amardeep Gill were arrested on May 4. On the same day, restaurant owner Bina Ramani, husband George Mailhot and her daughter Malini Ramani were arrested. He was accused of keeping liquor in the restaurant without a license and also getting blood stains cleaned from the floor after Jessica’s murder.
On these allegations, Bina Ramani said in the TV show Aap Ki Adalat – When the bullets were fired, I heard the sound and ran out. Jessica was lying on the floor and the people present there were pointing at a person and saying that he had fired the shot. The boy wearing white T-shirt and jeans was running. I asked everyone to inform the police and stopped him from running away. The boy pushed me and ran away, so I asked my husband George to chase him.
Then we called Ashlok Hospital and informed them about this. When I reached the spot of the incident, the staff had wrapped Jessica with a table cloth. With the help of the staff, we took him to the hospital. In such a situation, why would I get the blood cleaned? The boy who took Jessica to the hospital also had blood stains on his shirt. We had also handed over that shirt to the police.
The Delhi court granted bail based on the statements and on the grounds that Beena was a British citizen, her husband was a Canadian citizen and daughter Malini Ramani was an American, although their passports were confiscated.
On August 3, 1999, the police filed the charge sheet in the case. When the matter reached the court, about 100 people testified in the court, but no one gave any statement against Siddharth in the court. Shayan Munshi, an important eyewitness of this case and Jessica’s friend also retracted his statement.
When he was told that during interrogation he had given a statement against Siddharth, he replied that he did not know Hindi. The police had written and signed the statement in Hindi, they did not know what was written in the statement. He also said that Siddharth fired the bullet in the air, someone else fired at Jessica. The forensic report also revealed that the bullets were fired from two different revolvers.
The case continued for 6 years, the court released all the accused
21 February 2006
While giving the verdict, Delhi Trial Court said- Delhi Police failed to find the weapon used in the murder of Jessica Lal. She could not prove the allegations against Siddharth. Due to lack of witnesses and evidence, the court acquits all the accused. The day after the result came from the court, the news appeared in the newspapers – No one killed Jessica.
There was public outrage over how despite it being an open and shut case, everyone was acquitted. There were protests across the country against the verdict, people took to the streets and dharnas were held at many places over the denial of justice.
Indian media also played an important role in this case. Many channels like NDTV, Hindustan Times conducted public polls and promoted public opinion and polls to get the case re-opened. In most of the polls, the public raised questions on law and order and demanded reopening of the case. The channels had more than 2 lakh such messages. The channels took them to the President.
Following public outcry, on 18 April 2006, Justice Manmohan Sarin and Justice J.M. Malik’s bench released Manu Sharma on bail of Rs 1 lakh. He also raised questions on Delhi Police and urged that the case should be reopened and the decision should be given in the shortest possible time.
Sting operation revealed, witnesses took money and changed their statements
On 9 September 2006, news magazine Tehelka conducted a sting operation, which was shown in Star News. In this, many witnesses were heard saying that they were asked to change their statements by giving money and under pressure. The witnesses had received lakhs of rupees. It came to light that leader Vinod Sharma gave money to everyone to save his son. Vinod Sharma resigned from the Haryana Cabinet as soon as the sting came to light.
Tehelka magazine also conducted a sting on important eyewitness Shayan Munshi. During this time, the sting journalist approached him posing as the casting manager of the film industry. When the journalist said that this will be a Hindi film, but you do not know Hindi, then Shayan immediately recited many Hindi dialogues, whereas in the court he had said that he did not know Hindi.
Shayan Munshi’s sting operation.
The case was reopened under public and media pressure. Finally, on 15 December 2006, the High Court bench of Justice R.S.Sodhi and Justice P.K.Bhasin delivered a 61-page verdict, in which Siddharth Sharma alias Manu was found guilty.
On December 20, 2006, Siddharth was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Jessica. The friends present with him were given a punishment of 4 years each. Shayan Munshi, who retracted his statement, was prosecuted for perjury. On April 19, 2010, the Supreme Court also confirmed the life sentence of convict Siddharth.
Where are the people associated with Jessica’s murder now?
Siddharth Sharma- In the year 2020, Siddharth Sharma was released due to good behavior. He is running his family business.
Sabrina- Jessica’s sister Sabrina died in 2021 due to liver disease. His parents also died during the trial.
Sabrina Lal with a photo of sister Jessica.
Shayan Munshi- Jessica’s friend and key witness in the case, Shayan Munshi, is an actor. She started her acting career with Aryan Band’s music album ‘Yeh Hawa Kehta Hai Kya’. After this, he was also a part of big films like Jhankar Beats, Mausam, My Brother Nikhil, Aahista Aahista, Chef.
Beena Ramani- After this case his restaurant was closed. She is now active as a fashion designer, writer and social activist.
Malini Ramani- Jessica’s friend and Bina Ramani’s daughter Malini is working as a fashion-interior designer and yoga instructor.
Vikas Yadav- His friend Vikas Yadav, who was present with Siddharth Sharma at the time of the murder, is still in jail for murdering his sister’s lover Nitish Katara.
Also read these unheard stories of film stars and entertainment personalities-
Pakistani model Nayab Nadeem, whose dead body was found without clothes: Step brother was angry with her illegitimate relations and profession, fed her drugs and then made her unconscious and strangled her
Nayaab Nadeem, who was an emerging artist of Pakistani film industry, but she had to lose her life just because people around her felt that she was a threat to their respect. Read the full news..
