(RPT, adding matter in Para 3)

New Delhi, Feb 2 (UNI) Manu Sharma, awarded life imprisonment by Delhi High Court in Jessica Lall murder case, today challenged his conviction and sentence in the Supreme Court.

Manu Sharma, son of former Haryana Minister Venod Sharma, has challenged the High Court judgment on the grounds that the court should not have interfered with the order of acquittal passed by the trial court.

He has also sought his release on bail saying that there is no fear of him absconding as he is the director of Piccadely Group of Industries and a regular income tax payee.

The petitioner has also contended that the High Court has committed an error by passing convictions on evidence -- neither reliable nor adequate-- to warrant the reversal of the acquittal order. As per the settled law, the appellate court should interfere with the order of acquittal only under compelling circumstances which is not the case here, he contended.

The acquittal of all the nine accused by the then trial Judge S I Bhayana had led to public outrage against the acquittal and police also came under fire for shielding the culprits who belonged to influential families. One of the accused Shyam Sunder Sharma was a close relative of the late president Shankar Dayal Sharma.

The High Court, in its judgement dated December 20, 2006, had relied on the statement of socialite Bina Ramani in whose restaurant Jessica Lal was shot dead by Siddhartha Sharma, alias, Manu Sharma for her refusal to serve liquor after midnight in 1999.

Justice Bhayana was elevated to High Court within a week of pronouncing the order of acquittal.

The High Court had maintained the acquittal of six people and convicted two others, including Vikas Yadav, son of former Rajya Sabha member D P Yadav, for destruction of evidence.

UNI