New Delhi, Nov 13: Prime accused in the Jessica Lall murder case, Siddharth Vashisht alias Manu Sharma surrendered before a city court today, two days after the Delhi High Court rejected his application for regular bail. Manu surrendered before additional sessions Judge Manju Goel, who sent him to judicial custody.

On Tuesday, the high court, while rejecting Manu's plea for regular bail had observed that "there is a long chain of circumstantial evidence linking the accused with the crime which is inconsistent with his innocence and consistent with his guilt," and asked him to surrender before the trial court upon expiry of his interim bail today. Manu has been out on interim bail in the case since January 25, 2002.

Son of former Union Minister Vinod Sharma, Manu allegedly shot dead model Jessica Lall at socialite Malini Ramnani's South Delhi restaurant on the night intervening April 29-30, 1999, after she refused to serve him liquor.

Meanwhile, the prosecution still appeared uncertain on securing the presence of Nepali national Dinesh Kumar, the most material witness of circumstantial evidence, despite a high court direction to Delhi Police Commissioner to see that every effort was made for this. He was a watchman in Manu's friend Amardeep Singh Gill's house, where the accused had allegedly taken shelter after the crime.

Gill is also facing trial for harbouring Manu.

Bureau Report