SC seeks response in Shivani Bhatnagar murder case

The Supreme Court on Monday sought dismissed IPS officer RK Sharma’s response on a Delhi police plea challenging his acquittal in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case.

The court also issued notices  to Sri Bhagwan and Satya Prakash, who too were acquitted by the Delhi HC in the sensational 1999 murder of the Indian Express scribe in her East Delhi flat.

The city police has challenged the October 12, 2011 verdict of the HC, which had acquitted Sharma and two others, giving them the benefit of doubt.

Additional solicitor general Haren Raval contended that the HC had ignored important circumstantial evidence based on telephonic records in deciding the case.

The HC had only upheld the conviction of Pradeep Sharma, one of the four persons, found guilty by the trial court.

The high court had said although the motive behind the killing of the scribe was unclear, it raised questions whether Pradeep Sharma acted alone or at the behest of RK Sharma and others
or at the instance of someone else.