New Delhi, Sept 16: Trial in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case adjourned without hearing today following the absence of a crucial witness who was to depose in court. Suresh Kumar Kukreja, who had been summoned for the day, filed an application before Additional Session Judge J M Malik praying exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds. Taking note of the plea, the court directed him to appear on September 22. Kukreja's testimony is crucial to the prosecution, as it is from his mobile phone, police claim, that prime accused R K Sharma kept in touch with Shivani's alleged murderers from Pune.

Kukreja and Sharma were family friends.
The witness, a businessman, had earlier recorded his statement before a metropolitan magistrate in which he said that Sharma had borrowed his mobile phone bearing number 9822028128 during a trip to Pune in January 1999.


Later, "Sharma sent me SIM card of the mobile to my residence in Delhi from Bombay which I received on January 25, 1999", he had said.


However, Sharma did not return the instrument, Kukreja said in his statement adding he handed over this SIM card to police investigating the case.

Six accused including Sharma are standing trial in the case for allegedly murdering Indian Express scribe Shivani Bhatnagar.

Bureau Report