Tuesday, April 18 2006 14:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today (Apr 18, 2006) issued a non-bailable warrant against Vikas Gill, an accused in the Jessica Lall murder case, and ordered prime accused Manu Sharma and seven others to furnish personal bonds to secure their presence during the hearing of the appeal. A Division Bench, headed by Justice Manmohan Sarin, also granted four weeks to prosecution to make arrangements for translating into English all documents in connection with the murder case. All the accused, barring Vikas Yadav and absconding accused Vikas Gill, were present in the court hall today, when the Bench took up the appeal against acquittal order passed by the trial judge which had caused public outrage.

The court issued the NBW against Vikas Gill afterDelhi Police counsel Mukta Gupta complained that the accused could not be traced after the High Court issued summons and bailable warrants in the case.

While Manu Sharma was asked to furnish a personal bond of Rs one lakh and a surety of like amount, the other accused were asked to furnish personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each.

The court also directed that none of the accused shall leave the country without prior intimation to the Delhi Government.

On February 21, a trial court had acquitted all the nine accused in the Jessica Lall murder case, including Manu Sharma, Vikas Yadav, Amardeep Singh Gill alias Tony, Aloke Khanna, Shyam Sunder Sharma, Harvinder Chopra, Vikas Gill, Raja Chopra, and former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh.

Lall was shot dead at a south Delhi restaurant on the intervening night of April 29-30, 1999.