Shivani Case: Accused points at Shivani's brother-in-law

A day after Indian Police Service officer Ravi Kant Sharma, main accused in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case, blamed her husband Rakesh for the murder, a co-accused on Tuesday said the conduct of the deceased journalist's brother-in-law too is suspicious.

Bhagwan Swarup Bhatnagar, who had come from Chandigarh to attend a meeting scheduled for January 23, 1999 --- the day Shivani was murdered ---- had suddenly changed his plans and decided to return, counsel for Pradeep Sharma, B Goswami, told Additional Sessions Judge J M Malik.

Bhatnagar was the first person to enter the flat, where Shivani lay in a pool of blood. The police, however, had not taken his fingerprints, Goswami said.

Investigators had also not bothered to confirm if there was any such change in programme as claimed by Bhatnagar, he said.

Counsel for another accused, Sri Bhagwan Sharma, said the police is relying on the acquaintance between R K Sharma and Sri Bhagwan and that Sharma had used Bhagwan's mobile to make calls to discuss the conspiracy.

There was nothing criminal in knowing a person, counsel S P Ahluwalia said, adding there was no evidence to show that the said mobile phone belonged to his client, R K Sharma.