Shivani Bhatnagar

Shivani Bhatnagar (Died: January 23, 1999) was a journalist working for the Indian Express newspaper. Her murder on January 23, 1999 became a scandal that reached into the top levels of Indian politics. Indian Police Service officer Ravi Kant Sharma was charged with the murder by the Delhi Police, who investigated the case. Sharma surrendered to the police on September 27, 2002, after having been in hiding since the arrest warrant was issued on August 3 of that year. Sharma and his wife, Madhu, have alleged that Bhatnagar’s murder was orchestrated by the late Pramod Mahajan, a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mahajan had denied the allegations.

IPS officer R K Sharma along with three other accused in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case were convicted by a Delhi Court on March 18, 2008. Two other accused -- Ved Prakash Sharma and Ved Prakash alias Kalu -- were acquitted for want of evidence. Those convicted were sentenced to life imprisonment on March 24, 2008. They plan to file an appeal against the trial court verdict.

References

* [http://wait4justice.blogspot.com/2008/03/shivani-bhatnagar-verdict-out-today.html Wait For Justice, Shivani Bhatnagar Verdict Out]
* [http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/mar/24shivani.htm R K Sharma, 3 others, get life imprisonment]
* [http://www.newswatch.in/newsblog/546 Shivani Bhatnagar murder case: Timeline 1999-2008]