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Delhi police has framed me: R K Sharma

Indian Police Service officer Ravi Kant Sharma, prime suspect in the murder of journalist Shivani Bhatnagar, on Friday alleged that the "case is a frame-up against me for reasons fully known to the Delhi police".

After being on the run for more than two months, Sharma on Friday surrendered before a court in Ambala. He was later sent to judicial custody till October 10.

In a handwritten statement, which was released by his wife Madhu, he said, "At every stage till today the Delhi police pressurised me and my family to the maximum."

"The agony I am facing today did not start on 3rd August [when he was named prime accused in the case]. It dates back to 1999 [when Bhatnagar was murdered]. The conduct of the Delhi police has never been above board. Still I have cooperated for three-and-a-half years... in a way that could ensure a better investigation of a case," he said.

"On August 3, 2002, the Delhi police broke all traditional norms of fair investigation," he alleged.

As in the past, instead of giving him a notice to appear as a witness under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the police went to arrest him on that day, Sharma alleged.

Describing as a "sheer chance" that he and his wife were not home on that day, Sharma said, "My daughter was harassed and pressurised. Faced with a situation, she did all that she thought best after consulting friends, family members and lawyers."

Admitting that his wife was with him when he took flight, Sharma said, "It was only after 2-3 days, when the matter was sub-judice in Panchkula, that my wife joined her [daughter] and again did what she thought was best."

He said having complete faith in the judicial system, "it was thought all legal and constitutional remedy should be exhausted, as the conduct of the Delhi police went from bad to worse".

PTI

The Shivani Bhatnagar Case: The Complete Coverage

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