Chronology: Shivani Bhatnagar murder case

Following is the chronology of the 1999 Shivani Bhatnagar murder case: Jan 23, 1999: Indian Express journalist Shivani Bhatnagar murdered at her east Delhi apartment.July 23, 2002: Police arrest Sri Bhagwan, son of a former Haryana police officer, who had worked under IPS officer RK Sharma.August 2, 2002: Police raid RK Sharma's residence at Panchkula in Haryana but can't apprehend him. Pradeep Sharma, another alleged conspirator, arrested.August 6, 2002: Panchkula court rejects RK Sharma's interim bail application.August 7, 2002: Delhi police release his picture and declare Rs50,000 reward.August 8, 2002: RK Sharma's wife Madhu alleges involvement of "an influential person", demands CBI probe.August 12, 2002: Delhi police get forensic report on the handwriting and finger prints of Pradeep Sharma. RK Sharma files bail plea in a Delhi court.August 13, 2002: RK Sharma's bail plea rejected by a Delhi session's court.August 15, 2002: Madhu alleges involvement of BJP leader Pramod Mahajan in Shivani's murder. Mahajan refutes allegations and says he shared a purely professional relationship with Shivani.August 16, 2002: Police give clean chit to Mahajan.August 17, 2002: Police confirm arrest of co-accused Satya Prakash.August 18, 2002: Another accused, Ved Prakash Sharma, picked up by police.August 23, 2002: RK Sharma suspended from service.September 27, 2002: RK Sharma surrenders in Ambala.September 28, 2002: RK Sharma sent to police custody.October 8, 2002: Police claim RK Sharma has confessed killing Shivani. The cop's counsel files contempt application against police.October 25, 2002: Police file charge sheet in the murder case, charging RK Sharma for her murder and alleged he had given her classified government documents.January 4, 2003: Case committed for sessions trial.March 3, 2003: Court frames charges against RK Sharma and other five accused.March 20, 2003: Trial commences.January 23, 2005: Case sent to fast-track court.July 21, 2006: The Supreme Court stays Delhi High Court and trial court order directing police to furnish copy of case diaries to RK Sharma.October 9, 2007: Prosecution claims Shivani intended to expose RK Sharma for offences under the Official Secrets Act.November 15, 2007: Prosecution ends arguments.November 23, 2007: RK Sharma terms telephone call records "fabricated".December 4, 2007: RK Sharma says his friendly relationship with Shivani was not a "secret affair".February 29, 2007: Final arguments end.March 5, 2008: Court reserves its verdict.March 18, 2008: Court convicts RK Sharma along with three other accused for conspiracy to kill Shivani. Ved Prakash Sharma acquitted.March 20, 2008: Arguments on quantum of sentence completed. Prosecution seeks death penalty for RK Sharma, Pradeep Sharma. Court reserves order on sentence for March 24.March 24, 2008: RK Sharma and three others get life term. December 21, 2010: The Delhi High Court reserves judgment on appeals of RK Sharma, and his co-convicts against their conviction in Shivani's murder case.October 12, 2011: The Delhi High Court acquits RK Sharma, Sri Bhagwan and Satya Prakash. Pradeep Sharma's sentence is upheld, saying trial court has rightly convicted him of murder.