Shanmugam Manjunath (23 February 1978 19 November 2005) was a manager (grade A

officer) for the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) who was murdered for sealing a corrupt petrol
station in Lakhimpur Kheri, UP. This incident inspired several students at IIM, IIT and other
institutes culminating with the IIM students setting up the "The Manjunath Shanmugam Trust".

MBA from Indian Institute of Management Lucknow.

Opposition to corruption and murder[edit]

While working for the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) in Lucknow, he had ordered two petrol pumps
at Lakhimpur Kheri sealed for selling adulterated fuel for three months. When the pump started
operating again a month later, Manjunath decided to conduct a surprise raid around 19
November 2005.
Having not heard from his son for three days, at around 9 that night, his father, M Shanmughan,
had sent an SMS: "How are you?". There was no reply because that very night, during his
inspection, Manjunath had been shot dead in the town of Gola Gokarannath in Lakhimpur Kheri.
His body, riddled with at least six bullets, was found in the backseat of his own car, which was
being driven by two employees of the petrol pump. Both were arrested and the main accused,
pump-owner Pawan Kumar ('Monu') Mittal, was held on 23 November along with seven others.
Indian Oil Corporation paid 2.6 million (US$39,000) compensation to the family.[citation needed]

On 24 March 2007, nearly sixteen months after the murder, all eight accused were found guilty
by the Lakhimpur Kheri Sessions Court. The main accused, Monu Mittal and 7 accomplices were
convicted of murder by Sessions judge, Lakhimpur Kheri.[1]
Petrol pump owner Pawan Kumar Mittal, the main accused in the sensational murder, was
sentenced to death by the Sessions Court, while the other seven accused were given life
imprisonment on 26 March 2007.[2]

"The Manjunath Shanmugam Trust" was registered on 23 February 2006, Manjunath's birth
anniversary.

Key Initiatives[edit]
The Trust runs India's first National Right To Information Act Helpline. The number is (080) 66600-999 and 0-97181-00180 and is accessible from anywhere in India. The 12*7 (10 am 8 pm)
multi-language helpline, serviced by professionally trained call-center agents, guides citizens
through the features of this powerful tool against corruption