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The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the interim bail to Vikas Yadav, who is serving a 25-year jail term in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case, by a week.
A division bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice AG Masih said the matter should be heard by the bench headed by Justice MM Sundresh, who passed the July 29 order extending Yadav's interim bail till August 26. Yadav had approached the apex court against an August 22 order of the Delhi High Court, which refused to grant an extension of his interim bail granted by the top court on July 29. Yadav, 54, who has been in jail for over 23 years, sought interim bail on the grounds that his marriage was fixed for September 5. The High Court, however, doubted whether it had the power to extend the interim bail granted by the top court and posted his matter for further hearing on September 2. As his interim bail was expiring today, the SC bench extended it by a week. The top court also noted that Yadav had completed 23 years of his imprisonment in the case. Yadav had earlier sought interim bail, saying that his mother's condition was serious, and his assistance and presence were needed. The apex court had granted Yadav interim bail to enable him to attend to his ailing mother, who had undergone surgery. On April 24, the apex court had granted interim bail to Yadav and said he shall reside only at his residence in Ghaziabad. His bail was later extended for four weeks. Granting interim bail to Yadav, the top court had said he shall not make any contact with the witness who deposed against him and Neelam Katara, the mother of Nitish Katara. It had also asked the Uttarakhand and Delhi police to provide security to witnesses and Neelam Katara. A trial court in May 2008 held Vikas Yadav guilty of murdering Nitish Katara for being in a relationship with his sister. On October 3, 2016, the apex court gave jail terms 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. They kidnapped Katara from a marriage party on the intervening night of February 16-17, 2002 and then killed him for his alleged affair with Vikas' sister Bharti Yadav. Bharti was the daughter of Uttar Pradesh politician DP Yadav. Meanwhile, Yadav's plea, which raises the issue of denial of remission benefit to him, has also been pending before the apex court. (ANI)
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