Jessica murder: Supreme court to hear Manu Sharma's appeal on Jan 19

The supreme court will hear on January 19 an appeal by Manu Sharma, son of Haryana Congress Venod Sharma, challenging the life imprisonment imposed on him by Delhi high court in model Jessica Lall murder case.

A bench of justices P Sathasivam and HL Dattu posted the matter for hearing after the winter vacation on Manu Sharma's plea for expeditious hearing of the appeal.

The apex court had earlier dismissed the convict's bail application.

Lall was shot dead allegedly by Manu at a South Delhi restaurant owned by socialite Bina Ramani on the intervening night of April 29-30, 1999.

In the trial that lasted for over seven years, Manu Sharma and a number of others were acquitted on February 21, 2006 by a sessions court.

Following intense media and public pressure, the prosecution appealed in the Delhi high court which fast-tracked the proceeding with daily hearings for over 25 days.

The high court reversed the acquittal, held him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment on December 20, 2006.

Vikas Yadav, son of controversial Uttar Pradesh politician DP Yadav, was also convicted by the high court in the Jessica Lall case, and was sentenced to four years imprisonment for destroying evidence.