Manjunath had a long telephone conversation with Zutshi on November 19 — the day of his murder.

Jaiswal told the court that Manjunath told his boss during the conversation that he was heading for inspection of a few pumps suspected of adulteration, one of which being Mittal Automobile petrol pump, in Kheri. Jaiswal also put up evidence before the court to explain the murder motive.

The post-mortem and ballistic reports were also discussed threadbare.

Jaiswal raised the issue of witnesses turning hostile after recording statements and urged the court to initiate measures against them. She cited the Jessica Lal murder case, in which legal notices were served to witnesses who had turned hostile.

Three witnesses had recorded their statements in the Manjunath murder case under Section 161 and later turned hostile.

Senior advocate I B Singh put up circumstantial evidence to prove the guilt of the accused. By linking circumstantial evidence, the accused’s statements, the recovered material and various reports, Singh argued that it was a well-planned and executed murder at the pump, owned by prime accused Monu Mittal.

He also explained how all the accused had links with one another and that all were guilty.

Singh also referred to links between recovery of weapons and empty cartridges recovered from Mittal’s petrol pump and other places.