From Manu Sharma To Siddharth Sharma: Indri Whiskey Owner And Jessica Lal's Killer
Established in 1953, Piccadily Agro Industries Limited (PAIL) stepped into the business of alcohol manufacturing and is now popularly known for the award-winning Indri single malt whiskey. The founder is Siddhartha Sharma, who used to go by the name Manu Sharma, who made headlines for murdering Jessica Lal.
On April 29, 1999, in Delhi’s elite Tamarind Court, Manu Sharma shot 34-year-old Jessica Lal at point-blank range for refusing to give him a drink after he tried to bribe her with Rs 1000. Although Jessica was taken to the hospital, she succumbed to her injuries.
Also Watch | The Mysterious Case of Ruja Ignatova, The Crypto Queen
Manu Sharma is the son of former Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma and a distant relative of former President of India Shankar Dayal Sharma.
The Jessica Lal Murder Case
The case shook the country. After fleeing from the crime scene, he surrendered before a Chandigarh court where he was named an accused among nine other people. What was supposed to be an open-and-shut case made others question whether the law was equal for all in the country.
With witnesses turning hostile, allegations by Jessica’s sister Sabrina of witnesses being bribed by Sharma’s father, among many, the case was muddled. On February 21, 2006, Sharma and his accomplices were acquitted by the court, citing lack of evidence. Many alleged that the political connections of Sharma’s father and grandfather helped him.
Following public outcry, massive protests, and media pressure, the Delhi Police filed an appeal at the High Court, and Manu Sharma was convicted of murdering Jessica Lal. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. On grounds of good behaviour, Sharma was released from Tihar jail.
Also Read | The Fathima Sheikh ‘Mystery’
Indri Whiskey
Piccadily Agro Industries Limited (PAIL), a family business of Sharma, is known for its award-winning Indri single malt whiskey. The brand has made a name for itself both domestically and internationally. PAIL is also known for its chain of hotels, print, digital, and television media brands.
Recently, it won the 2024 International Whisky Competition in the Best Indian Whisky category and bagged the second spot, beating Paul John with its Diwali Collector’s Edition 2024.
PAIL’s 2011-12 Annual Report
According to company filings, Sharma has been a shareholder of PAIL since 2011-12 under the name of Siddhartha Vashishata. He was still serving his sentence for Jessica’s murder at the time.
Also Read | 21-Year-Old Found Dead At IIT Kharagpur Hostel; Second Death Within 48 Hours
Previous media reports suggested that Sharma had wanted to open a distillery in Scotland, but granting a license as a person with his criminal record would have been difficult.
Under his new name, Sharma has achieved huge success and is now listed as the founder of Piccadily Distilleries, the largest independent manufacturer and seller of malt spirits in India.
