Verdict in Manjunath murder case likely tomorrow

Lucknow, Mar 22 (UNI) The judgement of the trial court in the sensational S Manjunath murder case would be pronounced tomorrow by the district and sessions court at Lakhimpur Kheri.

The court, after a long trial, had reserved its judgement on March 9 after the prosecution submitted the chargesheet on February 15, 2006 against eight accused in the murder.

Mr I B Singh, counsel for Manjunath, told UNI here today that the judgement of the court is expected tomorrow.

''All eyes are now on the judgement as it will give a lesson to those who try to prevent a honest officer in performing his duties,'' he said.

IOC sales officer Manjunath, an alumni of IIM (Lucknow) of 2003 batch, was allegedly killed inside the Mittal Automobile Petrol Pump at Gola Gokarn in Lakhimpur Kheri district on November 19, 2005.

S Manjunath, an IIT-Kanpur graduate who was working as an IOC sales executive, was murdered after he had reportedly threatened to seal a petrol pump 'Mittal Automobiles' at Gola Gokarn in Lakhimpur Kheri district for selling adulterated fuel.

The next day, the police intercepted a vehicle carrying the body of Manjunath in an area which fell under the Mahauli police station of neighbouring Sitapur district. Two persons, Rakesh Anand and Vivek Sharma, who were present in the vehicle, were arrested. The police completed its investigation and filed a chargesheet against the eight accused, including Rakesh and Vivek.

The six other accused were Pawan Kumar alias Monu, the son of the owner of Mittal Automobiles, Devesh Agnihotri, Sanjay Awasthi, Shivkesh Giri, Harish Mishra and Rajesh Verma.

Prominent lawyers Kamini Jaiswal and IB Singh argued the case on behalf of the S Manjunath Trust during the murder trial.

Pilibhit-based lawyer VD Pandey pleaded the case on behalf of Monu Mittal.

The prosecution presented 23 witnesses before the court and three of them turned hostile.

The Lakhimpur district session court on May 20,2006 had fixed responsibilities of all the eight arrested accused of the murder of Manjunath and the trial started from June 5.

Since all the eight accused denied having committed the crime and pleaded innocence accusing the police of implicating them in a false case during the approval of the chargesheet, the court started the trial proceedings from June 5.

During the long trail, the accused created a ruckus several times inside and outside the court.

A country-wide debate was initiated after the murder of the technocrat and later Manjunath Shanmugam Trust (www.manjunathshanmugamtrust.org) was founded by the IIM alumni in February, 2006 with the immediate aim of ensuring justice in the Manjunath murder case.

A countrywide protest was launched with candlelight processions and other agitational programmes for punishment of the culprits involved in the murder.

A native of Karnataka, IIM-Lucknow graduate Manjunath had joined the IOC in July, 2003. In October the same year, he was appointed the Area Sales Officer (ASO) of Lakhimpur Kheri.

During the interrogation of Sulakashan Mittal, the owner of Mittal petrol station located in Gola Gokarnnath, revealed that he did not know of his son Monu's plan to eliminate Manjunath.

UNI