Katara’s killers to stay in jail for life: Delhi HC
3 April 2014 11:41 PM GMT
The court pronounced the judgement upholding the life sentence of convicts including Vikas Yadav, son of UP politician D P Yadav for the abduction and murder of Nitish Katara in 2002, saying it was a case of ‘honour killing’.
It will hear arguments on quantum of sentence on 25 April. ‘The appeals are devoid of merit. We have also held that the killing of Nitish Katara was a honour killing,’ the bench said.
The high court’s judgement came nearly a year after it had reserved its verdict on 16 April last year. Welcoming the Delhi HC verdict, Neelam Katara, mother of the victim said: ‘As the citizen of India and as a mother, I am very happy with this verdict.’ Talking to the reporters outside court, Neelam said: ‘It is a difficult fight for anyone taking criminals at this level.’
Neelam had filed a plea seeking death penalty to the persons found guilty by the lower court. Vikas Yadav was convicted in 2008 along with his cousin Vishal for kidnapping and murdering Nitish.
The two had killed Nitish on 17 February, 2002 after kidnapping him from a marriage party in Ghaziabad as they were opposed to his relationship with their sister Bharti. Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev Pehalwan are serving life term for abducting and killing Nitish Katara, a business executive and son of an IAS officer, on the intervening night of 16-17 February, 2002.
Their accomplice Pehalwan was arrested in 2005. He was tried separately and sentenced to life term by a trial court.
It will hear arguments on quantum of sentence on 25 April. ‘The appeals are devoid of merit. We have also held that the killing of Nitish Katara was a honour killing,’ the bench said.
The high court’s judgement came nearly a year after it had reserved its verdict on 16 April last year. Welcoming the Delhi HC verdict, Neelam Katara, mother of the victim said: ‘As the citizen of India and as a mother, I am very happy with this verdict.’ Talking to the reporters outside court, Neelam said: ‘It is a difficult fight for anyone taking criminals at this level.’
Neelam had filed a plea seeking death penalty to the persons found guilty by the lower court. Vikas Yadav was convicted in 2008 along with his cousin Vishal for kidnapping and murdering Nitish.
The two had killed Nitish on 17 February, 2002 after kidnapping him from a marriage party in Ghaziabad as they were opposed to his relationship with their sister Bharti. Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev Pehalwan are serving life term for abducting and killing Nitish Katara, a business executive and son of an IAS officer, on the intervening night of 16-17 February, 2002.
Their accomplice Pehalwan was arrested in 2005. He was tried separately and sentenced to life term by a trial court.
Next Story
