Today, 12th August, In the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case, the Supreme Court ordered the release of Sukhdev Pehalwan, stating “Convict must be released after completion of the prescribed prison term”, and directed nationwide action to ensure no prisoner is kept beyond sentence.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court ordered the release of Sukhdev Pehalwan, who was convicted in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case, saying his continued custody beyond March 9, 2025, is illegal.
The court made it clear that his sentence of 20 years has already been completed and there is no legal reason to keep him in jail any longer.
The bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and KV Viswanathan delivered the order.
A bench of the top court said, “Custody beyond March 9, 2025, is illegal”, while stressing that convicts with fixed-term sentences must be freed immediately after completing the prescribed prison term.
The Supreme Court observed that “a convict sentenced for a fixed period such as Pehalwan must be released after completion of the prescribed prison term”.
It further stated that,
“There is no need for a ‘remission’, as is required in cases of convicts sentenced to spend their full lives in prison”.
The court explained that this rule applies in all cases where the sentence is for a fixed period and not a life term requiring remission.
The Supreme Court, On October 3, 2016, sentenced Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav to 25 years in prison without the possibility of remission for their involvement in the high-profile kidnapping and murder of Katara.
Also Read: 2002 Nitish Katara Murder Case| Delhi HC to Hear Vikas Yadav’s Furlough Plea on January 8
Co-defendant Sukhdev Yadav received a 20-year sentence in this case.
The trial court found that Katara was killed because Vishal and Vikas Yadav disapproved of his relationship with Bharti, as they belonged to different castes.
They were convicted for kidnapping Katara from a wedding party on the night of February 16-17, 2002, and subsequently murdering him due to his alleged relationship with Vikas’ sister, Bharti Yadav.
Bharti is the daughter of D P Yadav, a politician from Uttar Pradesh.
Case Title: Sukhdev Yadav @ Pehalwan v. State of NCT of Delhi
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