The prosecution in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case has claimed before a Delhi court that the deceased journalist intended to expose prime accused RK Sharma of leaking classified documents to her in violation of the Official Secrets Act (OSA), according to the Indian Express.
Arguing before Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri, Special Public Prosecutor SK Saxena said Shivani, who, at the instance of Sharma had access to classified documents at the Prime Minister’s Office, had planned to expose him of leaking the documents to her.
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The prosecution said Shivani had even confessed to her sister Shevanti that she could “ruin his (R K Sharma’s) career†if he did not “mend his waysâ€. The prosecution said Shivani was being “increasingly ignored†by Sharma during the last few months of 1998.
Sejal Shah, another journalist, who was Shivani’s roommate in London where they had gone for a course, had told police that Shivani would sleep with RK Sharma’s photograph beneath her pillow at that time.
Shivani’s husband also had said earlier that Sharma was an “important source†to her. The prosecutor also referred to various other statements on record to show that Sharma, in his capacity as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at PMO, had leaked classified documents to the deceased journalist.
The prosecution told the court that two of the documents found at Shivani’s house after her death were classified. The prosecution said CBI and IB officials had earlier testified that the documents had been marked to Sharma. By giving these documents to Shivani, Sharma had breached his official duties, the prosecution said.
The prosecution said Sharma had told Pradeep, the alleged murderer, to bring back all the documents from the house but that he had left these two behind.
