New Delhi: 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.
For nearly three years no headway was made in the case
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.
But the defence says there isn't any direct evidence to support this theory.
"The entire case is based on circumstantial evidence. Had RK Sharma been arrested first and on his instance others would have picked up it would still be evidence but it isn't so," DB Goswami, defence lawyer, says.
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).
With 51 out of 209 witnesses having turned hostile in the case, the prosecution's case has been delivered a body blow.
But are the circumstantial evidences strong enough to ensure justice? Or will it prove to be elusive even after nine years?
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