New Delhi, Sept 10: A witness in Shivani Bhatnagar murder case in which senior IPS officer R K Sharma is a prime accused today told a city court that Delhi Police had visited the office of the accused in Mumbai in 1999 when the investigation of the case was in its initial stage. "They (Delhi Police) had come to Mumbai in 1999 for couple of times," M Mukandan Nair, deposing as prosecution witness told the Additional Sessions Judge J M Malik during his cross-examination.

Nair, who was the private secretary of Sharma, when he was on deputation as chief vigilance officer with Air India, said the police also inquired about the accused in the year 2000 and 2001. He said before Sharma was arrested, police had come with a co-accused Satya Prakash to his office in Mumbai on August 22 last year and had recorded his statement.

Earlier also police had recorded his statement in connection with the case, Nair said.

Bhatanagar, an Indian Express journalist was murdered at her East Delhi apartment on January 23, 1999. However the first arrest in the case was made last year in July. Sharma had surrendered before a Haryana Court on September 28 last after a non-bailable warrant was issued against him.

Besides Sharma, others facing trial in the case are Satya Prakash, Sri Bhagwan, Pradeep Sharma, Ved Prakash Sharma and Ved alias Kalu.

Bureau Report