New Delhi, April 22: Seven years after Jessica Lal was shot dead in a Delhi restaurant, Ajit Lal died last night without seeing his daughter’s killers brought to justice.

The 76-year-old had suffered a cerebral stroke in late March, a month after the mass acquittals in the murder case, and had been admitted to Kalyani Hospital at Gurgaon.

With his condition showing little improvement, his family was preparing to take him home when he passed away at 11.45 pm yesterday.

Jessica’s mother May had died in 2000, a year after her daughter’s murder and within six months of a Delhi court granting bail to prime accused Manu Sharma.

After his wife’s death, Lal’s health kept worsening, his friends said, and he suffered his first brain stroke in 2002. He went on to suffer another four, which badly affected his memory.

“He was very fond of Jessica. I have known him for the last 50 years, since the time we worked for Lipton in Delhi,” said friend .P. Gurwara.

Jessica’s younger sister Sabrina, who runs a travel agency, declined to speak to reporters. “Sabrina doesn’t want to talk to the media for a couple of days as she is shattered. You must understand? she is alone now,” said a friend.

Around 3 pm today, Lal’s body was taken from the hospital to the Lodhi Road crematorium, where a handful of close relatives and friends had gathered. He is survived by his daughters Valsal and Sabrina and son Ranjit.

A priest from the Free Church at Green Park conducted a short service before his body was cremated. His ashes will be buried in the graveyard at Taj Mansingh next to where those of Jessica and her mother have been placed.