The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sharma accused of “pre-planning” Shivani’s murder

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Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007
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Sharma accused of “pre-planning” Shivani’s murder

Final arguments open in the court

NEW DELHI: The prosecution on Tuesday opened its final arguments in court in the eight-year-old murder case of journalist Shivani Bhatnagar accusing suspended IPS officer R. K. Sharma of “pre-planning” her killing.

Arguing before Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri, Special Public Prosecutor S. K. Saxena alleged that Sharma, a former Haryana cadre officer, in connivance with other five co-accused had executed the murder of the Indian Express scribe.

Apart from Sharma, the co-accused were Pradeep Sharma, Satya Prakash, Ved Prakash Sharma, Ved alias Kalu and Sri Bhagwan, who are also facing trial in the case.

In his brief arguments, Saxena said that while Pradeep Sharma had executed the murder at the instance of Sharma, the other four accused had acted as “intermediaries” in the commission of the offence.

Terming it as a case based on “circumstantial” evidence, Saxena said the prosecution would prove its charges with regard to the motive behind the case on the basis of the telephonic talk among the accused.

The arguments, which remained inconclusive, would be resumed on Thursday.

The court also dismissed an application seeking a review of its earlier order rejecting the defence plea for putting on record an MTNL document containing the telephone number of slain BJP leader Pramod Mahajan.

It also turned down another defence plea for permission to put on record certain call details of Shivani’s husband Rakesh Bhatnagar.

Bhatnagar was found murdered in her East Delhi apartment on January 23, 1999. – PTI.

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