NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Delhi government to decide within two weeks on the remission plea to Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan, who is serving a 20-year jail term without remission in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case.
A two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan asked the Delhi government how the convict, whose 20 years jail term is set to end on March 10, 2025, would continue to remain in prison.
Addressing the remission plea, the top court stated, “After all, the issue pertains to the liberty of a person,” and scheduled the matter for a further hearing on March 27. The court also observed that the Delhi government should have initiated the remission process long ago. “How can he be kept in jail after the period of sentence is over?” the bench wondered.
The bench observed these, after taking into consideration the submissions of solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi, in the case.
On October 3, 2016, the Supreme Court awarded a 25-year jail term without remission to Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal for their role in the sensational kidnapping and killing of Katara. Co-convict Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan was given a 20-year jail term.
They were convicted and sentenced for kidnapping Katara from a marriage party on the night of February 16–17, 2002, and subsequently killing him for his alleged affair with Vikas Yadav’s sister, Bharti Yadav. Bharti is the daughter of Uttar Pradesh politician D. P. Yadav.