M A I N   N E W S

SHIVANI MURDER CASE
Sharma charged with murder
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 25
Three days after Ravi Kant Sharma’s judicial custody was extended, the Delhi police today filed the charge sheet in the journalist Shivani Bhatnagar murder case and pointed out that suspended Haryana IG (Prisons) Sharma was the prime accused in the case.

The charge sheet, running into nearly 50 pages, has listed more than 20 witnesses and said the motive behind the murder of Shivani was to recover certain “sensitive documents” that were allegedly leaked out of the PMO by Sharma, when he was posted there as Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

The Delhi police crime branch, which filed the charge sheet in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate J.P. Narain, also chargesheeted co-accused Satya Prakash, Sri Bhagwan Sharma, Pradeep Sharma, Ved Prakash Sharma and Ved alias Kallu in connection with the murder of Shivani, who was found brutally killed at her flat in East Delhi on January 23, 1999.

While all accused have been charged under Section 302 (murder), 120-B (conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 403 and 404 (dishonest and misappropriation of property), Ved Prakash Sharma and Ved alias Kallu have been separately charged under Section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property). Submitting the charge sheet, special public prosecutor S.K. Saxena said the camera which had been stolen from Shivani’s flat had been recovered by the police during probe from accused Ved Prakash Sharma.