Rautahat Murder Victims Deserve Justice—Not Another ‘No One Killed Jessica’ Moment

On January 7, 2011, a Bollywood film based on a true story—No One Killed Jessica—was released. The film was inspired by a chilling murder case in which India’s local court acquitted the accused. Reporting on the verdict, The Times of India ran a headline that would become iconic: No One Killed Jessica. On April 29, 1999, Jessica Lal, a young woman working as a bartender, was shot dead at point-blank range. Eyewitnesses saw the shooter. Police identified the killer as Manu Sharma, the son of a former union minister and filed a case. Yet, the court failed to deliver justice. Jessica, trying to earn extra income, was killed, while the perpetrator walked free—protected by political power. The verdict delivered on February 22, 2006, appeared to grant a license to the powerful to kill with impunity. It was only after sustained media outrage and follow-up reports that the verdict was overturned. Exactly 300 days later, in December 2006, the Delhi High Court found Manu Sharma guilty of murder.