Shyan Munshi opposes his trial for perjury in Jessica''s murder

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Bollywood actor Shyan Munshitoday pleaded with the Delhi High Court against his trial foralleged perjury for turning hostile in model Jessica Lallmurder case trial arguing the apex court had used part of hisdeposition in convicting Manu Sharma and others for the crime.

As the proceedings for prosecution of 31 hostilewitnesses resumed before a division bench of justices SRavindra Bhat and G P Mittal, Munshi''s counsel Aman Lekhipleaded before the court to discharge his client.

Lekhi contended Shyan cannot be termed hostile as eventhe apex court had used part of his deposition in convictingCongress leader Venod Shrama''s son Manu Sharma and others forthe crime.

"The Supreme Court did not discard Munshi''s statementcompletely but accepted some portion of his testimony," Lekhiargued while referring to the high court''s December 2006findings that it had issued the show cause notice to hisclient and other witnesses in public interest.

Munshi is facing perjury charge as it was he on whosestatement the police had registered the FIR against Sharma andwas the star witness of the prosecution.

But during his deposition in the court, he had turnedhostile and introduced the "two-gun theory" (use of two gunsin the murder) that led to Manu''s acquittal by the trialcourt.

"The Supreme Court has already dealt with Munshi''stestimony before trial court. It was again corroborated by thestatement of the ballistic expert that two cartridges werefired from two different pistols," Leki argued.

He said "his (Shyan''s) statement before the police is notadmissible in the court of law and it is not binding on thepart of a prosecution witness to give the same statementbefore the trial court." PTI PNM RAX