The Supreme Court on Monday raised questions about the Delhi government’s stance on not releasing Sukhdev Yadav, also known as Pehalwan, who has served a 20-year term for the murder of business executive Nitish Katara in 2002. Despite the completion of his designated jail sentence, the government has insisted that he will not be released.
Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan of the Supreme Court have asked for an affidavit from the secretary of the Delhi government’s home department. The affidavit must confirm the government’s position that Yadav will not be released even after serving the full 20 years, as dictated by his sentence.
During the hearing, the Delhi government’s counsel affirmed that Yadav was indeed sentenced to life imprisonment. According to the high court’s 2015 verdict, Yadav’s life sentence entails 20 years of actual imprisonment without the possibility of remission, in addition to a ₹10,000 fine.
The Supreme Court’s inquiry comes as Yadav approaches the completion of his 20-year sentence. The bench challenged the state’s interpretation of judicial orders, emphasizing the need for clarity on the matter.
Further complicating the legal proceedings is Yadav’s recent unsuccessful attempt to obtain a three-week furlough, which was denied by the Delhi High Court in November 2024.
This case is linked to the notorious kidnapping and murder of Katara in 2002 by Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal, who were opposed to Katara’s relationship with their sister Bharti, attributing their disapproval to caste differences. Bharti is the daughter of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on March 3, with the home department’s secretary required to submit the affidavit by February 28.
