In a poignant session on Wednesday, the Supreme Court posed a grave question to the Delhi government regarding the welfare of the mother of Vikas Yadav, a convict in the notorious Nitish Katara murder case. “Will you take responsibility if something happens to the mother of Vikas Yadav?” inquired the bench, highlighting the gravity of the situation as Yadav seeks interim bail to care for his critically ill mother.
Yadav, currently serving a 25-year sentence for his involvement in the 2002 murder, has spent 23 years behind bars. The bench, comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, expressed its inclination to grant the bail, emphasizing the humanitarian concern over the convict’s mother’s health. They proposed imposing strict conditions on Yadav during his release.
The court’s inquiry underscores a significant moral dilemma, balancing the convict’s right to family care against the potential risks given his influential background. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Delhi government, opposed the bail, citing Yadav’s history of exploiting his medical bail terms due to his considerable clout.
The top court has also criticized both the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments for their sluggish response in forming a medical board to assess the condition of Yadav’s mother, following its directive on April 2. The delay raised concerns, as it took ten days to organize the medical board to review the health of the convict’s mother, who is presently in the ICU at Yashoda Hospital in Ghaziabad requiring immediate surgery.
This legal discourse comes against the backdrop of a harsh judgment passed by the apex court on October 3, 2016, sentencing Yadav without any remission benefits, reflecting the severe nature of his crimes including kidnapping and murder influenced by caste prejudices.
