New Delhi, Aug 10: Sri Bhagwan, arrested in connection with the murder of journalist Shivani Bhatnagar, has accused Delhi Police of "trying to use" him to "reach" the prime suspect R K Sharma, his laywer claimed today. "The police have nothing substantial against me. They are merely using me to reach R K Sharma," Bhagwan was quoted as having told his counsel Surat Singh when he met him in police custody yesterday.

"The police is taking me to different places as they feel I can be a source to reach R K Sharma," Bhagwan had said.

Singh told a news agency he was refused permission to meet Bhagwan on August 8, despite a court order. However, Bhagwan's appearance did not indicate any "severe torture" though his eyes were swollen, Singh said.
Surat Singh claimed that Bhagwan had been told by police on July 23, while being picked up, that he was being arrested.
Bhagwan had also charged that police had "misled" everyone by showing his arrest on July 30, Singh said.
Bhagwan denied that he had anything to do with the telephonic transcripts of his alleged conversation with other accused, saying his mobile was being used by many others. "He also sought to know why the police had taken so long to get the alleged transcripts," the counsel said.

"The Maruti Esteem, which is alleged to have been used by the accused on the day of Shivani's murder also did not belong to him as he had sold his car in 1997," Singh quoted Bhagwan as claiming.

Bureau Report