Here is a timeline of the events in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case:
January 23, 1999: Shivani Bhatnagar, a correspondent with English daily Indian Express murdered at her East Delhi apartment.
July 30, 2002: Police arrest Sri Bhagwan, son of a former Haryana police officer, who had worked under IPS officer Ravi Kant Sharma.
August 2, 2002: Delhi Police raids R K Sharma's residence at Panchkula in Haryana but is unable to apprehend him. Pradeep Sharma, another alleged conspirator, arrested.
August 6, 2002: Panchkula court rejects R K Sharma's interim bail application.
August 7, 2002: Delhi Police releases R K Sharma's picture and declares a reward of Rs 50,000
August 8, 2002: R K Sharma's wife Madhu alleges involvement of "an influential person," demands CBI probe
August 12, 2002: Delhi police gets forensic report on the handwriting and finger prints of one of accused Pradeep Sharma. R K Sharma files bail plea in a Delhi court
August 13, 2002: R K Sharma's bail plea rejected by a Delhi session's court
August 15, 2002: R K Sharma's wife Madhu alleges involvement of BJP leader Pramod Mahajan in Shivani's murder. Mahajan refuted allegations and said he shared a purely professional relationship with Shivani
August 16, 2002: Delhi Police gives clean chit to Pramod Mahajan
August 17, 2002: Police confirm arrest of co-accused Satya Prakash in the case
August 18, 2002: Another accused, Ved Prakash Sharma, picked up by police
August 23, 2002: R K Sharma suspended from service.
September 9, 2002: Delhi High Court rejects Sharma’s bail plea. Police initiates process of declaring Sharma proclaimed offender (PO)
September 27, 2002: Sharma surrenders in a court in Ambala, which sends him to judicial custody till October 5. He is later brought to Delhi
October 8, 2002: Police claim R K Sharma has confessed killing Shivani; Sharma's counsel files contempt application against the police.
October 25, 2002: Police file chargesheet in the case, charging all the accused under various Section of the IPC including 302 (murder), 120(B) (conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence)
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March 3, 2003: Court frames charges against all accused
March 20, 2003: Trial begins in the case as accused plead not guilty and claim trial
May 14, 2003: Police claim to have found some sensitive documents from Shivani’s flat, corroborating the prosecution’s claim that Sharma used to pass classified papers to her.
July 8, 2003: Shivani’s sister Sevanti tells court that the journalist had made plans to expose Sharma.
January 22, 2004: Shivani’s husband Rakesh Bhatnagar admits that he knew about the friendship of Sharma with his wife.
January 23, 2006: Trial of the case shifted to a Fast Track Court.
July 21, 2006: Supreme Court stays Delhi High Court and trial court order directing the police to furnish its record of case diaries to RK Sharma.
October 9, 2007: Prosecution claims Shivani intended to expose RK Sharma for offences under the Official Secrets Act.
November 15, 2007: Prosecution ends arguments.
November 23, 2007: RK Sharma terms telephone call records "fabricated."
March 5, 2008: Court declares final arguments closed and fixes March 18 as the date for announcing verdict.
March 18, 2008: Court convicts suspended IGP RK Sharma along with three other accused for conspiracy to kill Shivani.
October 12, 2011: Delhi High Court acquits RK Sharma, Sri Bhagwan and Satya Prakash because of benefit of doubt. The life sentence for Pradeep Sharma, who actually killed Shivani, has been upheld.
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