Ambala, September 27
The suspended Haryana IG, Ravi Kant Sharma, who surrendered before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ambala, today, has been kept in a special cell in Block No 2 of the Central Jail here.

According to informed sources, Sharma has been kept in a separate room as per the directions of the court.

As and when his custody is handed over to the Delhi police, he will be medically examined by doctors at the Civil Hospital here.

Incidentally, a team of the Delhi police, headed by Inspector Onkar Sharma, reached here this evening. The Delhi police filed an application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ms Sarita Gupta, for seeking production warrants, so that Sharma can be taken to Delhi.

It is learnt that the judge has fixed the application for hearing at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Sources say the cell in which Sharma has been kept was once house to Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, former President of the SGPC, a former Punjab Education Minister, Mr Sukhjinder Singh, and a former Haryana Minister, Mr Nirmal Singh.

While Mr Talwandi and Mr Sukhjinder Singh were political prisoners, Mr Nirmal Singh was in jail on a murder charge, a common factor between him and Sharma.

The sources say no bed has been provided to Sharma, who has been given four blankets and a earthen pitcher (matka) of water. He will have to sleep on a concrete slab. The sources maintain that no TV, radio or telephone has been provided to him.

However, Sharma will have the facility of an attached toilet.

The sources say as soon as the jail authorities learnt around 4 p.m. that Sharma had surrendered before a local court, they cleaned up the cell, in which a classroom was being run for certain prisoners. However, these days the classroom was not being used as its beneficiaries are out of the jail on parole.

It is learnt that Sharma wanted to stay in the office of the Jail Superintendent because in terms of the court order, he could have stayed there. However, the superintendent is believed to have declined the request.

While Sharma was waiting in the courtroom for the orders of his judicial remand, the hurriedly jottled down a four-and-a-half page statement. The statement was handed over to his wife, Madhu.

Sharma said in his statement, a photocopy of which is with The Tribune, that “the agony I am facing today is not which started on August 3 (when the Delhi police first came to Panchkula to arrest him). It dates back to 1999 (when Shivani was murdered).”

He alleged that the conduct of the Delhi police “has never been above board. Still I have cooperated for three-and-a-half years in the manner as directed and in way which could ensure a better investigation into the case.”

Giving his version of the events of August 3 last for the first time, Sharma wrote that on that day the Delhi police “broke all tradition and notice of fair investigation. Instead of giving a notice under Section 160, Cr PC, which I had complied with (earlier), I would have complied with it again had that been the case.

“It was sheer chance that my wife and I were not home on that day. Yet my daughter was harassed and pressured. Faced with a situation, she did all that she through best after consulting friends, family members and lawyers as all of a sudden she could not contact me or my wife. It was only after two or three days when the matter was sub judice in Panchkula that my wife joined her and again did what she thought was best.

“Having complete faith in the judicial system it was thought that all legal and constitutional remedies should be exhausted as the conduct of the Delhi police went from bad to worse.

“At every stage till date the Delhi police has pressured me and my family to the maximum. As far as I am concerned the present case is a frame-up against me for the reasons known to the Delhi police.