Timeline: How the Jessica Lal murder trial unfolded

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today ordered prosecution of two witnesses including Bollywood actor Shayan Munshi for turning hostile during the Jessica Lal murder case trial. Following is the chronology of events: April 29-30, 1999: Jessica shot at a party in Qutub Colonnade restaurant in south Delhi. Apr 30: Doctors at Apollo Hospital declare Jessica brought dead. May 2: Delhi Police recovers Tata Safari car belonging to Manu Sharma, son of Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma, from Noida in Uttar Pradesh. [caption id=“attachment_806213” align=“alignright” width=“380”]  Image: ibnlive[/caption] May 6: Manu surrenders before a court in Chandigarh. Subsequently, 10 other co-accused including Vikas Yadav, son of UP politician D P Yadav, arrested. Aug 3: Charge sheet filed against accused for killing Jessica under various sections of IPC. Jan 31, 2000: Magistrate commits the case to a sessions court for trial. Nov 23: Sessions court frames charges for murder against nine persons and discharges one accused Amit Jhingan while declaring Ravinder Sudan alias Titu as proclaimed offender. May 2, 2001: Court starts recording prosecution evidence. Deepak Bhojwani, an eye witness, deposes before trial court. May 3: Complainant and eye witness Shyan Munshi turns hostile and fails to identify Manu in court. May 5: Another eye witness Shiv Das, an electrician at Qutub Colonnade, turns hostile. May 16: Third key witness Karan Rajput turns hostile. July 6: Malini Ramani, eyewitness, identifies Manu. Oct 12: Socialite Bina Ramani, owner of the restaurant and bar, identifies Manu. Oct 17: George Mailhot, Ramani’s Canadian husband, deposes and identifies Manu. July 20, 2004: Surinder Sharma, controversial investigating officer in the case, deposes after returning from U N assignment in Kosovo. Feb 21, 2006: Trial court acquits all nine accused due to lack of evidence against them. Mar 13: Delhi Police file appeal in the Delhi High Court. Oct 3: High court begins hearing on appeal on day-to-day basis. Nov 29: High court reserves its verdict. Dec 18: High court convicts Manu, Vikas Yadav and Amardeep Singh Gill alias Tony and acquits Aloke Khanna, Vikas Gill, Harvinder Singh Chopra, Raja Chopra, Shyam Sunder Sharma and Yograj Singh. Dec 20: High court awards life term to main convict Manu Sharma with a fine of Rs 50,000 and also sentences co-convicts Amardeep Singh Gill and Vikas Yadav to four years’ prison term with Rs 3,000 fine each. Dec 20: High court also takes suo cognizance against witnesses, including Bollywood actor Munshi, for turning hostile. Feb 2, 2007: Manu Sharma appeals in the Supreme Court. Mar 8: Supreme Court admits Manu Sharma’s appeal. Nov 27: Supreme Court rejects Manu Sharma’s bail plea. May 12, 2008: Supreme Court again rejects Manu Sharma’s bail plea. Jan 19, 2010: Supreme Court commences hearing on Manu Sharma’s appeal. Feb 18: Supreme Court reserves verdict on the appeal of Manu Sharma. Apr 19: Supreme Court upholds conviction and life term of Manu. May 4, 2011: High court reserves judgement on whether to prosecute 19 witnesses including Munshi on the charge of perjury for turning hostile. May 22, 2013: High court orders perjury proceedings of Munshi and ballistic expert P S Manocha and absolves 17 other witnesses of the charge. PTI