The Supreme Court on Monday extended by one week the interim bail granted to Vikas Yadav, serving a 25-year sentence in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh was scheduled to hear Yadavโs plea against the Delhi High Courtโs August 22 order refusing to prolong his interim bail. However, Justice Kotiswar Singh recused from the matter at the outset, prompting Justice Sundresh to inform the parties that the case would be reassigned to another bench on the Chief Justiceโs directions.
Appearing for Yadav, his counsel argued that the convictโs marriage was scheduled and sought extension of his release. The plea was opposed by counsel for Neelam Katara, mother of the deceased, who countered that Yadav had already married in July. Despite the objection, the court extended his bail by one week.
Yadav, 54, who has been in prison for more than 23 years, also claimed that he required time to arrange โน54 lakh โ the fine imposed on him at sentencing โ and cited his marriage scheduled for September 5 as grounds for relief.
The matter has seen multiple benches involved. Earlier, Justices Dipankar Datta and A.G. Masih observed that since the July 29 order granting bail was passed by Justice Sundresh, the case should be heard by his bench. The Delhi High Court, on August 22, adjourned the matter noting it was โhesitantโ about its jurisdiction to extend the bail period, considering that Yadavโs conviction and 25-year sentence had already been upheld by both the High Court and the Supreme Court, including dismissal of his review petition.
The apex court agreed with this reasoning, observing that only it was competent to consider any relief in Yadavโs case, given its past affirmation of the sentence without remission.
Vikas Yadav, son of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav, and his cousin Vishal Yadav were convicted of kidnapping and murdering Nitish Katara, a young business executive, in 2002. The murder was linked to Kataraโs alleged relationship with Bharti Yadav, Vikasโs sister, opposed by her family on caste grounds.
Another co-convict, Sukhdev Pehalwan, was sentenced to 20 years in prison without remission. On July 29, the Supreme Court ordered his release after he completed his full term in March this year.
