Ramanis stonewall cops

When asked why Malini8217;s statement has not been recorded, the Mehrauli SHO, Surinder Kumar Sharma told Express Newsline: 8220;We do not call women to the police station. Therefore we visited their house on Friday to record Bina and Malini8217;s statement. While the mother gave her statement, the daughter declined to come before us. The reason told to us was that she was not feeling well.

And since then the police started to visit Ramani family at least four times a day. 8220;Whenever we do, the mother says that she Malini is not in a position to give any statement,8221; Sharma adds.

Malini had not only seen the assailant and his accomplices but had also allegedly passed a comment, which is believed to have instigated the men to shoot. The police complain that the Ramani family has not cooperated with them during investigation. A police officer says:8220;If their intention is to help us to nab the accused they will give us the wanted details. But if it is not, then they will hide.8221;

Despite repeated attempts by Express Newsline, the Ramanis were not available for comment.

This attitude has prompted Jessica8217;s family to blame Bina Ramani for the delay in the arrest of accused Manu Sharma. Jessica8217;s sister Sabrina claims that Bina Ramani hid the identity of the assailant from the police to protect the suspect. She says: 8220;24 hours were wasted only because she did not disclose the assailant8217;s identity to the police. Had she told the truth to the police, Manu Sharma would have been nabbed.8221;

According to Jessica8217;s friends who were present at Apollo hospital on Friday morning, Bina Ramani had requested the family members to give a uniform version to the police. The line she wanted told: 8220;It was a private party and that no drinks were being served.8221;

One of Jessica8217;s friends, Bhuwan, who reached the hospital recalls:8220;She just walked in and told us to forget it. She indirectly said that only politicians can do something like this. She must have known the person, otherwise she would not have made these statements.8221;

Friends and family members believe that Bina Ramani hid the identity to save herself since she was running an illegal bar there. They argue: 8220;Even if we believe that it was a private party then why is she not able to identify her own guest?8221;

Before attending the cremation on Friday evening, Bina Ramani had visited Jessica8217;s house in Safdarjang Enclave. There, according to her mother, May, Ramani said that the assailant is politically influential and action against him is impossible.

Sabrina says:8220;We do not want to associate ourselves with her Bina Ramani any more. All we want is that the culprit, Manu Sharma, should be apprehended and tried for murder8221;.