Chances of saving Jessica Lall were small, says doctor

new delhi: ramp model jessica lall was unconscious when brought to the hospital but her chances of survival were little as she had been fatally shot, a doctor testified in the trial court on monday. "my personal opinion was that hers was a difficult case to survive but on the insistence of the her relatives and friends who had accompanied her, we directed that she be shifted to apollo hospital for better neuro-surgical care," said dr alok chopra of aashlok hospital, safdarjung enclave, appearing as the 41st prosecution witness in the case."i requested dr jaswinder singh to accompany the patient on the ambulance to apollo hospital. i prepapared the history and gave it to the police," dr chopra told additional district and sessions judge r l chugh. according to him, jessica was brought to his hospital on april 30, 1999 at 2.15 am by socialite bina ramani. she was allegedly shot at ramani's restaurant at qutub colonnade in south delhi by the prime accused manu sharma on the night intervening april 29-30, 1999 when she refused to serve him liquor. "i immediately attended on her. she had a bleeding wound on the left upper lip. she was also bleeding from the nose...at that time she was deeply unconscious and not responding to the verbal commands or deep painful stimulus," the doctor said. "there was alleged gunshot injury and i had presumed accordingly. other injuries were possibly because of a fall," he said. dr chopra said her blood presssure and pulse were very low and attempts at resuscitation were not succeeding. on being cross-examined by manu sharma's lawyer r k naseem, dr chopra admitted that there was some overwriting at the place where time is mentioned in the admission and discharge records. on september 26, dr jaswinder singh, a junior to dr chopra, had also told the court that jessica was unconscious but alive for at least two hours after she was brought to the hospital. according to dr singh she was unconscious but alive at about 4:15 am when he shifted her to apollo hospital.