Panchkula/New Delhi: In a new turn to Shivani Bhatnagar murder case, prime suspect and senior Indian Police Service (IPS) official R K Sharma on August 5 approached a court for anticipatory bail even as Delhi police sought to tighten the noose by issuing alerts to prevent him from sneaking out through airports and asked for cancellation of his leave.

Sharma, through his counsel, filed an anticipatory bail application in the court of additional district and sessions judge H S Bangu in Panchkula which would come up for hearing on August 6.

Submitting the application, Sharma's counsel told the court that his client had been "falsely implicated" in the case and "is being made scapegoat at the behest of people who belong to higher echelons of the society and are the real culprits".

Meanwhile, police apprehended one Vijay Sharma, a relative of Sri Bhagwan who is in police custody, from Gurgaon early August 5 morning.

Delhi police has alerted immigration authorities at the international airports through the intelligence agencies to prevent him from leaving the country, sources said.

Police has also approached Haryana chief secretary, director general of police and director general of prisons to seek cancellation of his leave and to make him available, joint commissioner of Delhi police (crime) U K Katna said.

He said the request has been accepted and Panchkula senior superintendent of police has been instructed to "trace" Sharma and "ensure that he is made available for investigation".

PTI