More than eleven years after Advocate Manisha Attri, daughter of Advocate I P Attri, died in a ‘road accident’, a local court stated it was a murder and held Mohan guilty while acquitting the remaining six accused.

Those who were acquitted are: Paramjit Singh, Jasneet; Ravinder Pal, Jeetinder Pal, Chinder Pal and Gurpreet.

The case holds significance as it is for the first time in the history of UT district courts and arguably in all the district courts of Punjab & Haryana, that the statement of a witness was recorded through video-conferencing.

Manisha died on February 25, 1996 in an accident while returning from the district courts. In his complaint, I P Attri stated that the accused killed Manisha as she was not withdrawing a particular case being fought in the Kharar court. He further alleged that Mohan’s father was interested in two disputed booths located in Phase-IV in Mohali, the owner of which was represented by Manisha.

It was stated that in order to help his father, Jeetinder in connivance with six others, killed Manisha.

A prosecution witness in his statement stated he had seen a blue Maruti approaching from Batra chowk, at the speed of about 70 km per hour. The car, he said, abruptly turned towards Sector 23 and hit a scooter being driven by the victim. The girl fell on the front screen of the car and remained lying on the bonnet. The car turned backwards and then run over Manisha.