New Delhi: The Delhi High Court will pronounce its verdict on the plea of the convicts in the Indian Express reporter Shivani Bhatnagar murder case on Wednesday.
Former IPS officer and Haryana top cop RK Sharma and three others have appealed against their conviction and life sentence in the case.
Shivani was murdered on January 23, 1999, in her Nav Kunj Apartment of east Delhi. The court had also slapped a fine of Rs 20,000 on RK Sharma, while the other three have been fined Rs 10,000 each in 2008.
Almost nine years and 51 hostile witnesses later, the verdict in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case may be out on Tuesday.
Shivani, a principal correspondent with national daily The Indian Express was murdered on January 23, 1999, in her Nav Kunj Apartment of east Delhi.
A man who came to meet her posing as an acquaintance of her husband allegedly killed her. Her neighbours later discovered Shivani's stabbed body. She had been strangulated with an electric wire and then stabbed with the kitchen knife.
The trail finally led to Indian Police Service office of Haryana cadre RK Sharma and the conspiracy to eliminate Shivani was revealed.
As per the prosecution's claims Sharma was romantically involved with Shivani and had passed on several sensitive documents to her during his stint at the Prime Minister's Office.
He apparently decided to kill her when she threatened to ruin his career if he did not marry her.
Delhi Police chargesheet claimed that Sharma met co-accused Satya Prakash, Sri Bhagwan, Ved Prakash Sharma and Ved alias Kalu at the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi in December 1998 to chalk out the murder plan.
On the day of Shivani's killing, Satya Prakash drove hired killer Pradeep to Nav Kunj Apartment in an Maruti Esteem car often used by Sharma.
Pradeep killed Shivani and then decamped with her chain and a camera as evidence to prove to Sharma that the job was done.
After evading arrest for months, Sharma surrendered in August 2002 and all the accused were charged under Section 302 (murder), 120 B (conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 403 and 404 (dishonest misappropriation of property).
Out of 209 witnesses, 51 turned hostile in the case.
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