CNN-IBN

New Delhi, May 15: Two days after police stopped Bollywood actor and a key witness in the Jessica Lall murder case, Shayan Munshi, from leaving India, the Delhi High Court has rejected socialite Malini Ramani's application to travel to London.
Malini is one of the key witnesses in the high-profile murder case and had appealed against the Delhi Police lookout notice issued against all case witnesses.

Interestingly, on March 31, the High Court had permitted Malini's mother Bina Ramani to visit Phuket in Thailand to attend her niece's wedding.

It was in Ramanis' restaurant that Jessica Lall was shot dead eight years ago.

Bina Ramani had earlier expressed anguish over Delhi Police's lookout notices against her and the three others and said it put them all in the same league as the witnesses who had turned hostile.

This, despite the fact Ramani-owned Tamarind Court - the scene of crime - was serving liquor without valid licence and the Ramanis were also accused of cleaning up crucial evidence.

The key four 

Shayan Munshi: Struggling model at the time of Jessica’s murder, Munshi is now a small-time Bollywood actor. He was filling in as the celebrity bartender with Jessica at Tamarind Court on the fateful night. It was on his statement that an FIR was filed in the case and and according to police, it was Shayan who had identified Manu Sharma as the killer. But retracted his statement in court and said the man who shot Jessica was ‘‘not among the accused’’ 

Bina Ramani: One of the best-known faces of Delhi’s socialite and party circuit, Bina Ramani owned Tamarind Court – the scene of the crime. She testified in court that she heard a shot, saw Shayan Munshi walking out with a man in white T-shirt and jeans, and was informed Jessica had been shot. She also said that he held the suspect by his shirt and asked her husband to stop the him. She told court Manu Sharma ‘‘looked like that person’’ .

Malini Ramani: Fashion designer and Bina’s daughter, Malini had hosted the party with her mother. She was at the bar with Munshi and Jessica. She has testified that she could identify the killer. In court, she said assailant looked like main accused Manu Sharma.

George Mahilot: He is Bina Ramani’s Canadian husband. The party was hosted for him. In court he corroborated Bina’s version but also admitted in cross-examination that he was outside the bar when murder took place.