The Delhi High Court on Friday was urged to initiate perjury proceedings against Nitish Katara murder convict Vikas Yadav for allegedly furnishing false information regarding the date of his recent marriage in order to secure bail benefits.
The plea was filed by Kataraโs mother, Nilam Katara, who claimed that Yadav had actually married in July and not on September 5 as he had told the court. She alleged that he produced fabricated evidence to mislead the judiciary and wrongfully extend his interim bail.
Courtโs Direction
Justice Ravinder Dudeja, before whom the matter came up, sought Yadavโs response to the allegations and directed the Delhi Police to verify the documents and photographs submitted by Nilam Katara. The court asked for a status report and listed the matter for further hearing on December 9.
Appearing for Nilam Katara, advocate Vrinda Bhandari contended that Yadav had โintentionally and deliberatelyโ misled the court by providing false statements under oath. She pointed to two photographs purportedly showing that Yadav was married in July at The Aura banquet hall in Noidaโs Sector 74.
However, Yadavโs counsel countered that the photographs in question were from his engagement ceremony, not his marriage, and argued that the Supreme Court had already been apprised of this fact.
Vikas Yadav, son of former Uttar Pradesh politician D. P. Yadav, is serving a 25-year sentence without remission for the kidnapping and murder of business executive Nitish Katara in 2002. His cousin Vishal Yadav is also serving a similar sentence.
The murder stemmed from the cousinsโ opposition to Kataraโs alleged relationship with Bharti Yadav, Vikasโs sister, citing caste differences.
Vikas Yadav was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court earlier this year to look after his ailing mother. Later, he sought an extension of this relief, citing his โrecent marriageโ as an additional ground. On September 9, however, the Delhi High Court dismissed his plea for extension of interim bail.
Nilam Kataraโs application seeks action under Sections 227, 231, 234, and 235 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for giving and fabricating false evidence, producing false certificates, and deliberately misleading the court. She asserted that Yadavโs conduct amounted to perjury intended to secure an โundue benefit of interim bail.โ
The courtโs decision on whether to proceed against Yadav for perjury will be taken after receiving Delhi Policeโs verification report.
