Sabrina Lall answers your questions

New Delhi: It’s a case that had caught the collective imagination of the public and the media at large.

The Jessica Lall murder case was keenly watched not just because it was the case of a young model being shot at in an up-market party in the heart of the Capital, but more so because it proved to be a test case of whether or not the ‘high and mighty’ could be brought to book.

Is it then people’s power that has overturned what many call the ‘miscarriage of justice’ when the trial court had acquitted all accused just a year ago?

CNN-IBN explored the role of the Indian citizens, the media and what the last seven years have meant for the Lall family.

Jessica’s sister Sabrina Lall—a woman who has been a lone warrior for the past seven-years-braved the case, despite facing several personal losses. She answers viewers questions just after Manu Sharma was announced a life term by the High Court on Wednesday.

Ques: Does the life sentence to Manu Sharma mark a closure to your battle?

I certainly hope so. There is definitely a feeling of closure and relief. I do hope this be the complete end to this battle that I have fought all these years.

Ques: Many witnesses who turned hostile in the case, could perhaps have been friends and colleagues of Jessica Lall had she been alive today. These are the people who have now been sent a court notice for turning hostile in the case. What would you say about that?

All these 29 or 30 hostile witnesses who have now been sent a notice by the court were not really friends of Jessica. The only person who knew Jessica well was Shyan Munshi. You could not really term him a ‘friend’ but he was certainly an acquaintance. I was a bit upset the way he turned turtle in the case.

The 29 witnesses including model-turned actor Shyan Munshi who ‘turned turtle’ will now have to answer some fierce questions as they appear before the court on February 1.

Ques: Ram Jethmalani after he took up Manu Sharma’s case had come up with a character assassination theory of Jessica Lall. Did that hurt you when you heard that?

Of course it hurt. The strangest part is when somebody asked him a question that how come you are assassinating a dead girl’s character—who is not even there to defend herself—he said that "I did not assassinate her character, in fact I gave her some because I said she refused." I really don’t know what to really say about Mr Jethmalani.

Ques: Your parents died in the course of the battle for justice. The real culprits behind this were perhaps the police officers who tried to mislead the case for a long time. Don’t you think that until the rogue officers are convicted, justice cannot really be done?

I agree with that. But getting Manu Sharma—the person who did the crime—convicted was the first step. Now with the SIT report coming up, I’m sure

that the rogue police officers will be punished.

Ques: What do you have to say about the Rs 50,000 compensation that has been provided as compensation for the death of your sister, mother and father.

I do not want any of Manu Sharma’s money. I have no interest in it at all. But since court has awarded this amount, I will grab it and give it away to charity.

Ques: Manu Sharma is going to file an appeal in the Supreme Court. How will you handle that?

They (Manu Sharma, Amrinder Singh Gill and Vikas Yadav) are bound to appeal in the Supreme Court. But I don’t think that the SC is going to overturn the High Court’s judgement.

Ques: Why was Bina Ramani, a key witness in the Jessica Lall case was not convicted for wiping out the evidence from the crime scene?

Bina was not charged because they no conclusive evidence was found against her. That was the reason why she was not booked for destruction of evidence. The reason why she was arrested was altogether a different charge.

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Whereas this case was concerned, Bina Ramani’s testimony was as good as that of an eye witness account, and it was on the basis of her testimony that the High Court appreciated the evidence and link it with all other evidences to convict Manu Sharma.

Ques: Don’t you think that the Former law minister of India, Ram Jethmalani who took up Manu Sharma’s case deserves a more severe punishment than the accused?

I do feel bad for the people who went out of the way to subvert justice. Yet, it’s my personal opinion that the boy must not have been given a death sentence.

Ques: Were there any fears in your mind that Manu Sharma could have been acquitted this time round as well?

There was certain amount of fear. You cannot be too confident when you are up against these kinds of people. But having said that I was confident that the case was going right, and the evidences were being presented correctly. Yet, to have a little bit of doubt is perhaps natural.

Ques: Are you satisfied with a mere life sentence to someone who is a murderer and has been evading law for a long time?

A lot of people have been asking me this question. I maintained right from day one that all I want is to get Manu Sharma convicted. I feel satisfied that he has been given a life imprisonment. I never wanted him to be hanged.

A capital punishment to him would have meant that his friends, family and loved ones would have suffered. I would rather the boy himself suffer. A long term in prison would befit more for this boy rather than just hanging him and finishing him off.

Ques: The SIT report points out to the police officials who were accused of misleading the course of investigation. Would you not like them to be convicted as well to get complete justice in this case?

The SIT investigations are going to be taken up after the vacations and the New Year. I’m quite sure that the police officers who have colluded with the accused and subverted justice would definitely be booked under law.

Ques: Jessica Lall’s case is just one of the many cases with the only given exception that Manu Sharma got convicted and sentenced, while there are so many similar cases that rot away from media attention in different parts of our country.

Would you then say that Jessica’s case would help many other cases get justice in the country?

Yes, indeed it would. Jessica’s case is in many ways a landmark judgement. People who are politically connected always get away with crime. There are very few convictions in such cases.

So, the very fact that he has been convicted is a huge step and it would make all the other people feel more hopeful and more positive about the judiciary that it is finally coming down strongly on all the criminals.

Ques: Manu Sharma’s father a former minister has been trying tooth and nail to save his son. What do you think it shows about the morality of politicians in this country?

Well, the moment you say ‘politicians’ the word ‘morality’ itself goes flying out of the window. He has all the money in the world to help his son, but unfortunately its not just about hiring the best lawyers and trying to subvert justice at every step of the way, it now a huge slap on his face finally that the judiciary has woken up and recognised his son as the murderer.