Vikas, Vishal held guilty in Katara murder case

JUSTICE AT LAST: The Patiala House Court pronounced Vikas Yadav guilty for the murder of Nitish Katara.

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Keywords: Neelam Katara, Bharti Yadav

New Delhi: The Patiala House Court on Wednesday pronounced Vikas Yadav and Vishal Yadav guilty for the kidnapping and murder of Nitish Katara six years ago.

They have also been declared guilty of destruction of evidence.

The court is likely to pronounce quantum of sentence — which may range from life term to death penalty — on May 30.

The court rejected a plea of Vikas that the pronouncement of verdict be stayed as the Delhi High Court is likely to hear his application seeking stay on trial court proceedings on the grounds that the trial court proceedings have not been stayed.

The judge, Justice Ravindra Kaur, had asked the defence counsel — G K Bharti — as to whether the High Court had stayed the proceedings in this court.

When Bharti replied in the negative, Justice Kaur straight away pronounced the verdict, saying: "I hold Vikas Yadav and Vishal Yadav guilty under Section 302, 364, 201 and 34 of the IPC."

Vikas had on Tuesday moved the High Court after the Additional Sessions Judge dismissed his fresh application seeking to re-examine key witness Ajay Katara and others in the light of a CD, allegedly pointing towards a nexus between the witness and Nitish's mother, Neelam Katara, who is the complainant in the case.

The High Court was to hear the matter on Wednesday.

Reacting sharply to the turn of events, Vikas Yadav's father, D P Yadav said that the judgement seemed one-sided.

Counsel for Vikas Yadav, G K Bharti added, "It seems that the trial court has given this verdict under some pressures from some quarter."

The other cousel for Vikas Yadav, K N Balgopal — who was on his way to the court to meet his client — said, "The case is based on circumstantial evidence, as far as the final order is concerned, we will file an appeal in the High Court."

"The prosecution hasn't changed as far as Bharti Yadav is concerned she never said that her brothers are responsible for this offence. She has not committed any offence by being friendly with Nitish Katara, She only accepted the relationship. Whatever claim we have to make we'll make it in the High Court," he added.