The judgment in the case pertaining to Indian Oil official S Manjunath's murder will be delivered on March 23, sixteen months after the 27-year-old whistle-blower was gunned down apparently for opposing petrol adulteration by a pump owner, sparking a nationwide outcry.
District Judge A M Abdi reserved the judgment on Friday after prosecution and defence lawyers submitted the rulings of the high courts and the Supreme Court to buttress their contention.
Manjunath, an IIM-Lucknow graduate, was killed in Lakhimpur Kheri on November 15, 2005. His bullet-riddled body was recovered a few days later in neighbouring Sitapur district.
Seven accused, including the owner of a petrol pump, are facing trial