Katara case: HC appears disinclined to grant parole to Vikas

The Delhi High Court today appeared disinclined to grant two months parole to Vikas Yadav, one of the three killers of Nitish Katara serving a 25-year jail term without remission, saying he has been taking law into his hands and has used "political clout".
"I am not inclined at such a early stage. Look at your conduct. It has really been bad. It continued till the verdict was pronounced by this court and was later confirmed by the Supreme Court," Justice Vipin Sanghi said.
"Till the seal was put by the Supreme Court by upholding the conviction, this man (Vikas) has been seen taking law into his hands. This man has to remain in jail to learn something. He used his and his father's political clout to do everything possible to move out of jail. This can even be established as this case has been watched by the society at large," the judge said.

His father D P Yadav is at present in jail in connection with a murder case.
The court said there has to be some cooling-off period for the convict.
"I am not inclined at this stage, sorry," the judge said and asked the counsel representing the convict to either withdraw the plea or inform the court whether he wants any specific order.

Sensing the mood of the court, the counsel for Vikas said he needs time till tomorrow to take instruction on the query.
Vikas has sought parole for two months to maintain social ties and arrange for Rs 54 lakh, a fine imposed on him by the high court.

The convict has urged the court that the relief be granted to him to "re-establish his ties with the society and family members".
Delhi Police, represented by its additional standing counsel Rajesh Mahajan, opposed the plea saying the conduct of the convict does not entitle him for parole as he miused the system like anything.
The victim's mother, Neelam Katara also said that Vikas cannot compare himself with other prisoners.
The high court had on February 6, 2015 enhanced the jail
term of Vikas and Vishal Yadav from life imprisonment to 25 years without remission for murdering Nitish Katara and five more years for destruction of evidence in the case.

Yadavs' acquaintance Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan was also awarded an enhanced life sentence of 25 years.
It had also imposed a fine of Rs 54 lakh each on Vikas and his cousin Vishal.
The three were awarded life term by a trial court for abducting and killing Katara, a business executive and son of an IAS officer, on the intervening night of February 16-17, 2002. They did not approve of the victim's affair with Bharti, the daughter of D P Yadav.
The high court had on April 2, 2014 upheld the verdict of the lower court, describing the offence as "honour killing" stemming from a "deeply-entrenched belief" in the caste system.

The apex court had in October last year modified the Delhi High Court verdict that had said that separate jail terms of 25-years and five years for the offences of murder and destruction of evidence would run consecutively against Vikas and Vishal.
The apex court had said that both the jail terms would run concurrently and would effectively lead to the award of 25 years of imprisonment to the Yadavs.
Simultaneously, Pehalwan, who was granted 25-year jail term by the high court, was given 20-year imprisonment.