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Shivani Bhatnagar (died January 23, 1999) was a journalist working for the Indian Express newspaper. Her murder on January 23, 1999 became a scandal that reached into the top levels of Indian politics. Indian Police Service officer Ravi Kant Sharma was charged with the murder by the Delhi Police, who investigated the case. Sharma surrendered to the police on September 27, 2002, after having been in hiding since the arrest warrant was issued on August 3 of that year. Sharma allegedly got Bhatnagar killed because he feared she would expose their "intimate" relations.
IPS officer Ravi Kant Sharma along with Sri Bhagwan Sharma, Satya Prakash and Pradeep Sharma were accused in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case and they were convicted by a Delhi Trial Court on March 18, 2008. Two other accused—Dev Prakash Sharma and Ved Prakash alias Kalu—were acquitted for want of evidence. Those convicted were sentenced to life imprisonment on March 24, 2008. On October 12, 2011 Delhi High Court acquitted Ravi Kant Sharma, Sri Bhagwan Sharma and Satya Prakash saying lack of evidence on appeal. The conviction of Pradeep Sharma was upheld.