Supreme Court Questions Delhi Govt's Stand That It Won't Release Convict In Nitish Katara Murder Case Even After Jail Term

The Supreme Court has questioned the submission made by the Delhi Government that it would not release Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan, serving a 20-year jail term without remission in the murder of a Business Executive Nitish Katara in 2002, even after the completion of his actual sentence.

The Court was informed that convict Yadav will be completing his 20 years of actual sentence soon. The Court asked the counsel for the Delhi Government if a State would read verdicts delivered by the Courts this way.

The two-Judge Bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan asked, "Our question is, is it your case that even after completion of 20 years of actual imprisonment, the state will not release the petitioner (Yadav)?"

The counsel for the Delhi Government responded in the affirmative and said that Yadav was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Bench directed the Secretary of the Home Department, Delhi Government to file an Affidavit stating on oath that even after the completion of 20 years of actual jail term, Yadav would not be released.

Brief Facts

The convict Yadav filed a plea against a November 2024 Order of the Delhi High Court, which dismissed his Petition for releasing him on furlough for three weeks. On October 3, 2016, the Apex Court awarded a 25-year jail term without the benefit of remission to Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal for their role in the sensational kidnapping and killing of Katara. The co-convict Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan was handed down a 20-year jail term in the case.

They were were convicted and sentenced for kidnapping Katara from a marriage party on the intervening night of February 16-17, 2002 and then killing him for his alleged affair with Vikas' sister Bharti Yadav. Bharti was the daughter of Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav. The Trial Court had observed that Katara was murdered as Vishal and Vikas Yadav did not approve of his affair with Bharti as they belonged to different castes.

The Supreme Court noted that the High Court, in its verdict delivered on February 6, 2015, sentenced Yadav to "life imprisonment which shall be 20 years of actual imprisonment without consideration of remission" and fined him with Rs 10,000.

Accordingly, the Apex Court directed the Home Department Secretary to file the Affidavit by February 28, 2025 and listed the case on March 3, 2025.

With PTI Inputs