Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Following is the chronology of the 1999 Shivani Bhatnagar murder case:

Jan 23, 1999: Indian Express journalist Shivani Bhatnagar murdered at her east Delhi apartment.

July 23, 2002: Police arrest Sri Bhagwan, son of a former Haryana police officer, who had worked under IPS officer R.K. Sharma.

Aug 2, 2002: Police raid R.K. Sharma’s residence at Panchkula in Haryana but can’t apprehend him. Pradeep Sharma, another alleged conspirator, arrested.

Aug 6, 2002: Panchkula court rejects R.K. Sharma’s interim bail application.

Aug 7, 2002: Delhi Police release his picture and declare Rs.50,000 reward.

Aug 8, 2002: R.K. Sharma’s wife Madhu alleges involvement of “an influential person”, demands CBI probe.

Aug 12, 2002: Delhi Police get forensic report on the handwriting and finger prints of Pradeep Sharma. R.K. Sharma files bail plea in a Delhi court.

Aug 13, 2002: R.K. Sharma’s bail plea rejected by a Delhi session’s court.

Aug 15, 2002: Madhu alleges involvement of BJP leader Pramod Mahajan in Shivani’s murder. Mahajan refutes allegations and says he shared a purely professional relationship with Shivani.

Aug 16, 2002: Police give clean chit to Mahajan.

Aug 17, 2002: Police confirm arrest of co-accused Satya Prakash.

Aug 18, 2002: Another accused, Ved Prakash Sharma, picked up by police.

Aug 23, 2002: R.K. Sharma suspended from service.

Sep 27, 2002: R.K. Sharma surrenders in Ambala.

Sep 28, 2002: R.K. Sharma sent to police custody.

Oct 8, 2002: Police claim R.K. Sharma has confessed killing Shivani. The cop’s counsel files contempt application against police.

Oct 25, 2002: Police file chargesheet in the murder case, charging R.K. Sharma for her murder and alleged he had given her classified government documents.

Jan 4, 2003: Case committed for sessions trial.

March 3, 2003: Court frames charges against R.K. Sharma and other five accused.

March 20, 2003: Trial commences.

Jan 23, 2005: Case sent to fast-track court.

July 21, 2006: The Supreme Court stays Delhi High Court and trial court order directing police to furnish copy of case diaries to R.K. Sharma.

Oct 9, 2007: Prosecution claims Shivani intended to expose R.K. Sharma for offences under the Official Secrets Act.

Nov 15, 2007: Prosecution ends arguments.

Nov 23, 2007: R.K. Sharma terms telephone call records “fabricated”.

Dec 4, 2007: R.K. Sharma says his friendly relationship with Shivani was not a “secret affair”.

Feb 29, 2007: Final arguments end.

March 5, 2008: Court reserves its verdict.

March 18, 2008: Court convicts R.K. Sharma along with three other accused for conspiracy to kill Shivani. Ved Prakash Sharma acquitted.

March 20, 2008: Arguments on quantum of sentence completed. Prosecution seeks death penalty for R.K. Sharma, Pradeep Sharma. Court reserves order on sentence for March 24.

March 24, 2008: R.K. Sharma and three others get life term.

Dec 21, 2010: The Delhi High Court reserves judgment on appeals of R.K. Sharma, and his co-convicts against their conviction in Shivani’s murder case.

Oct 12, 2011: The Delhi High Court acquits R.K. Sharma, Sri Bhagwan and Satya Prakash. Pradeep Sharma’s sentence is upheld, saying trial court has rightly convicted him of murder.