Interim bail for RK Sharma

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday granted interim bail to R K Sharma, former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who is serving life term for the murder of journalist Shivani Bhatnagar, to enable him to visit his elder daughter and newly-born grandson.
A division bench comprising of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ajit Bharioke granted bail to Sharma, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, for two months after furnishing a bond of Rs 20,000 and a surety of like amount.
The HC also directed him to comply with the rules of the bail and surrender to the jail authorities on completion of the interim bail.
While granting him bail, the HC took on record, his good conduct in the jail for the past three years. However, the court dismissed his plea for regular bail. Sharma had approached the court stating that he wanted to see his grandson, who was born to his elder daughter recently.
Earlier, in January this year, the prosecution had alleged that Sharma had forged the documents to seek bail on medical grounds. Sharma had sought bail on medical grounds last year from the Delhi High Court and said he should be allowed to visit Mohali where he had already undergone a surgery.
Shivani Bhatnagar, principal correspondent of the Indian Express, was found murdered in her flat in east Delhi on Jan 23, 1999. She was at home alone with her infant son, when the murder took place. Two others held guilty in the case are Sri Bhagwan and Satya Prakash.