NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted furlough till March 7 to convicted Vikas Yadav to spend time with his family during Holi. The court allowed a plea from Yadav seeking release from the jail.
He is serving a 25-year jail term without remission for the murder of business executive Nitish Katara in 2002.
“Furlough is now sought on the ground that he wishes to spend time during Holi. Without going into the merits, we permit the petitioner to be released on furlough till March 7,” said a two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Vipul M Pancholi.
The court passed the decision after noting in its order that he has undergone 23 years of incarceration and granted him furlough till March 7 to spend time with his family during Holi. A trial court in May 2008—finding enough evidence—held Vikas Yadav guilty of murdering Nitish Katara for being in a relationship with his sister.
On October 3, 2016, the apex court awarded a 25-year jail term without any benefit of remission to Vikas Yadav, son of controversial Uttar Pradesh politician DP Yadav, and his cousin Vishal Yadav for their role in the kidnapping and killing of business executive Katara. Bharti was the daughter of politician D P Yadav.