Shivani case: Police to appeal against verdict

A day after RK Sharma, former IPS officer was acquitted by Delhi high court in journalist Shivani Bhatnagar murder case, Delhi Police have decided to appeal against the verdict in Supreme Court.

A day after RK Sharma, former IPS officer was acquitted by Delhi high court in journalist Shivani Bhatnagar murder case, Delhi Police have decided to appeal against the verdict in Supreme Court.

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Sources in Delhi Police’s crime branch, the unit which cracked the case, said they are currently examining the verdict and will file an appeal next week.
“Judgment is being examined and appeal in SC may be filed,” Ashok Chand, DCP (crime) said.

Shivani Bhatnagar, a journalist with The Indian Express was found murdered at her Nav Kunj Apartment residence in the Patparganj area of east Delhi on January 23, 1999. In September 2002, Sharma surrendered in Ambala court.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday acquitted suspended IPS officer Ravi Kant Sharma and two others accused of killing journalist Shivani Bhatnagar in 1999.
Delhi Police counsel Pawan Sharma had termed verdict as strange especially as the hired killer — Pradeep Sharma — has been convicted.

Reversing a lower court’s March 2008 conviction order, the bench said there was no evidence on record to prove Pradeep acted at the behest of Sharma and the other two, Satya Prakash and Shri Bhagwan.

The court ordered the release of Sharma, in jail for the last nine years, and the other two if they were not required in any other case. It also dismissed a Delhi Police petition against the acquittal of two other accused, Ved Prakash Sharma and Ved alias Kalu, by the trial court.

At the time of incident, police had said that the entry to the house was friendly but the killers had also ransacked the house to make it look like a robbery attempt. Her body was found on the floor of her bedroom.