New Delhi, Feb. 28: Delhi police will soon appeal against the mass acquittals in the Jessica Lal murder case, and also produce in the high court those “erring officials” who messed up the investigation, commissioner K.K. Paul said today.

The police are under fire for the shoddy probe that allowed prime accused Manu Sharma and eight others to walk free. Amid charges that the sleuths colluded with the accused, Delhi High Court has on its own asked for details of the investigation.

“Erring police officials involved in the investigation would be presented before the court. Those who are found not to have functioned in an appropriate manner ' those persons would be brought before it,” the police commissioner said.

“We are going through the acquittal report. We will soon file an appeal.”

The police have 60 days to do that. Legal experts said a plea for a retrial would lead to witnesses’ statements being recorded again, but the material evidence, tainted by serious allegations of tampering, would remain the same. But the directorate of prosecution claimed there was enough material evidence already on record to nail the accused.

The police also have in their possession a confession by Manu, written in his own hand, which was never included in the court file. The confession had been videotaped.

Manu had told police he had killed Jessica in a fit of anger after she refused to serve drinks to him. He had fired first at the roof and then at Jessica.

Manu said he had arrived at the restaurant, Tamarind Court, around 11.30 pm. It was around 2 am when he approached Jessica and Malini Ramani ' daughter of socialite Bina Ramani, the joint’s owner ' for a drink. The women told him the “whisky is over and you cannot get any even if you are ready to pay Rs 1,000”.

The confession wasn’t included in the court file ostensibly because Manu could have claimed he had made it under duress.