Closing arguments begin, verdict soon

While examination of witnesses and evidences was completed last month, the case is on way to its conclusion 8212; the closing arguments would continue for another three days, and the verdict is expected in 12 days.

Additional District Government Counsel Chandra Mohan and senior lawyers Indra Bhushan Singh from Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court and Kamini Jaiswal from Supreme Court 8212; both representing S Manjunath Trust 8212; made out their case linking evidences with statements of witnesses.

The presentation of evidence against individual accused would take place on Tuesday.

The seven accused were escorted to the courtroom here at around 10.30 am. The eighth accused, Harish Mishra, who had been granted bail by the Lucknow bench of Allahabadnbsp;High Court, was also present in the court.

The proceeding began with Additional District Government Counsel Chandra Mohan briefing the court about sequence of events with fact and figures.

He said 26 witnesses had been examined in the case and three had turned hostile.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Kamini Jaiswal then discussed other evidences as material exhibits.

She highlighted the conversation between Manjunath and R K Zutshi, the IIM-Lucknow graduate8217;s erstwhile boss at Indian Oil.

Manjunath had a long telephone conversation with Zutshi on November 19 8212; the day of his murder.

Jaiswal told the court that Manjunath told his boss during the conversation that he was heading for inspection of a few pumps suspected of adulteration, one of which being Mittal Automobile petrol pump, in Kheri. Jaiswal also put up evidence before the court to explain the murder motive.

The post-mortem and ballistic reports were also discussed threadbare.

Jaiswal raised the issue of witnesses turning hostile after recording statements and urged the court to initiate measures against them. She cited the Jessica Lal murder case, in which legal notices were served to witnesses who had turned hostile.

Three witnesses had recorded their statements in the Manjunath murder case under Section 161 and later turned hostile.

Senior advocate I B Singh put up circumstantial evidence to prove the guilt of the accused. By linking circumstantial evidence, the accused8217;s statements, the recovered material and various reports, Singh argued that it was a well-planned and executed murder at the pump, owned by prime accused Monu Mittal.

He also explained how all the accused had links with one another and that all were guilty.

Singh also referred to links between recovery of weapons and empty cartridges recovered from Mittal8217;s petrol pump and other places.