The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved its verdict on a plea by Vikas Yadav, who is serving a 25-year sentence for the high-profile 2002 murder of Nitish Katara, seeking furlough to maintain social ties following his recent marriage.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja, after hearing arguments from both sides, stated that orders would be passed in due course. The court also granted liberty to the parties to file written submissions.
Vikas Yadav, son of former Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav, is currently serving a 25-year jail term without remission, as directed by the Supreme Court in 2016. He was convicted alongside his cousin Vishal Yadav for the kidnapping and murder of Nitish Katara, a young business executive. The crime, committed on the night of February 16-17, 2002, was widely reported to be motivated by Katara’s relationship with Bharti Yadav, Vikas’s sister, which the family allegedly opposed due to caste differences.
In his current plea, Yadav has challenged an October 29, 2025 order by jail authorities rejecting his request for a 21-day furlough. His counsel, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, argued that this was his first application for furlough and that all eligibility criteria under the Delhi Prisons Rules were met.
Pahwa contended that the denial lacked application of mind and was based merely on the nature of the crime and Yadav’s sentence. He emphasized that furlough cannot be rejected solely on these grounds, especially when it is meant to allow inmates to maintain family and social ties.
The prison authorities, however, rejected the furlough citing “unsatisfactory” prison conduct and concerns raised by the victim’s family. The rejection order pointed to the gravity of the offence, the length of sentence, and an apprehension that Yadav might abscond or cause harm to the victim’s family if released.
Katara’s mother, Neelam Katara, and key witness Ajay Katara were also issued notices by the High Court to respond to Yadav’s application.
Notably, this is not Yadav’s first attempt at seeking temporary release. In September 2025, the Delhi High Court had dismissed his plea for extension of interim bail on maintainability grounds. He had earlier been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court to attend to his ailing mother.
Alongside Vikas and Vishal Yadav, the third accused, Sukhdev Pehalwan, was sentenced to 20 years without remission. The Supreme Court had ordered his release in July 2025 after completing his sentence in March, but he tragically died in a road accident shortly after.
The Delhi High Court had earlier affirmed the trial court’s conviction and specified that both Vikas and Vishal Yadav would serve 30 years without remission. However, the Supreme Court in 2016 reduced it to a fixed 25-year sentence, citing the “heinous and premeditated” nature of the crime.
Furlough is a temporary release granted to long-term prisoners, aimed at helping them retain family and social bonds. Unlike parole, furlough is not tied to a specific emergency and is a statutory right in many jurisdictions subject to eligibility and conduct.
The Delhi High Court is expected to decide soon whether Vikas Yadav will be granted this relief.
