Manu Sharma | |
|---|---|
| Born | Siddharth Vashisht 1977 (age 46–47) |
| Occupation | Pub owner |
| Criminal status | Convicted |
| Spouse |
Preity Sharma (m. 2015) |
| Parent | Venod Sharma (father) |
| Relatives | Kartikeya Sharma (brother) |
| Motive | Refusal to be served alcohol |
| Conviction(s) | 18 December 2006 |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
| Penalty | Life imprisonment; released on 2 June 2020 for good behaviour |
Siddharth Vashisht (born 1977), better known as Manu Sharma, is a murderer of Indian origin, convicted in 2006 to serve life imprisonment for the 1999 murder of Jessica Lal. He was released in June 2020 on grounds of good behaviour. Sharma is the son of the former Indian National Congress leader, Venod Sharma, and the brother of media baron, Kartikeya Sharma.
Manu Sharma is one of several high-profile criminals brought to trial in India through media activism. Along with that of some other murderers, his conviction is viewed as demonstrating the impact of the general public in correcting imbalances in the Indian legal process.[2]