BackNitish Katara case: SC closure after 14 years reduces Vikas, Vishal Yadav’s jail term
Supreme Court closure to the 14-year-old Nitish Katara case after the apex court rules that the jail terms of Vikas and Vishal Yadav will run concurrently, overturning Delhi HC order
Premium
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday reduced the quantum of sentence for three accused in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case for prime accused—cousins Vikas and Vishal Yadav, bringing an end to the 14-year old case. The apex court said that the Yadav cousins will be in jail for 25 years, while their aide Sukhdev Pehelwan will serve 20 years jail term.
The sentences got reduced because the Supreme Court ruled that the jail terms would run concurrently and not in succession as the Delhi high court had earlier ordered. The court had sentenced the Yadavs to 25 years in jail without remission and their aide to 20 years. In addition, the court added five years each for destruction of evidence.
The Yadav cousins and their aide Pehelwan had abducted and murdered 25-year-old Nitish Katara in February 2002. Katara was in relationship with Bharti Yadav, the daughter of politician D.P. Yadav.
Here is the chronology of events in the case.
•17 February 2002: Vikas and Vishal Yadav abduct Nitish Katara from a wedding in Ghaziabad at night and kill him for being in relationship with their sister Bharti Yadav.
•20 February: Police discover Katara’s body near Hapur crossing in Khurja village in Bulandshahar. Vikas and Vishal determined as prime suspects by the police. Meanwhile, Bharti leaves the country, reportedly to the UK.
•11 March: The police recover a Tata Safari, used in the murder, near GT Road in Karnal.
•31 March: The first charge-sheet filed by the Uttar Pradesh police.
•23 April: The Yadav cousins are arrested from Madhya Pradesh.
•23 August: The case is transferred from a Ghaziabad court to a Delhi court on the plea of victim’s mother, Neelam Katara by the Supreme Court.
•23 November: A third accused came up in the murder, contract killed Sukhdev Pehelwan. A separate trial against Pehelwan ordered. He was arrested in 2005.
•7 April 2003: Court issues repeated summons to Bharti for recording her statement, including threats to make her a proclaimed offender in the case.
•25 November 2006: Bharti returns after more than three years and gives her evidence.
•December 2007: Prosecution establishes that the reason for murder was the Yadav family’s opposition to Bharti and Katara’s relationship.
•23 April 2008: Trial concludes in court.
•28 May: The brothers are found guilty of the murder.
•30 May: The court hands life imprisonment to Vikas and Vishal.
•1 July: Neelam Katara seeking death penalty for the Yadav cousins files appeal in the Delhi high court.
•5 September: Vikas and Vishal file their appeal in the high court challenging the trial court verdict.
•6 July 2011: The trial court convicts Pehelwan in the case and on 10 July sentences his life term.
•16 April 2013: The Delhi high court reserves judgment on appeals filed by all parties in the case.
•2 April 2014: The high court upholds conviction of Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev, terming the case ‘honour killing’.
•8 December: The trial concludes in the high court.
•6 February 2015: The high court upholds life term of all three convicts. The court also enhances the jail term of the Yadav cousins. They have to spend 30 years in prison, without remission. Likewise, Pehelwan gets 25 years. The court did not accept Neelam Katara’s appeals for the death penalty.
•17 August 2015: The Supreme Court turns down Vikas and Vishal’s plea against their life imprisonment and also upholds the enhanced sentences. Justices J.S. Khehar and A.K. Goel, however, agree to consider a plea to reduce the length of the sentence.
•10 October 2015: The Supreme Court rejects Neelam Katara’s plea of the death penalty on the grounds that it was not a case of honour killing.
•10 March 2016: Neelam Katara opposes Vikas Yadav’s parole.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
