Today, On 15th April, The Supreme Court criticised the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments for delaying the formation of a medical board for Vikas Yadav’s sick mother. The bench warned that its soft tone in orders should not be misunderstood, stressing that fairness from the State is essential.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court observed on Tuesday that the State must act fairly, criticizing the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments for their delay in constituting a medical board to assess the condition of Vikas Yadav’s mother, who is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence in the Nitish Katara murder case.
Yadav, convicted in the 2002 murder case, requested interim bail to care for his ailing mother.
A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan expressed surprise that it took 10 days to form the medical board, despite the court’s order on April 2, to examine his mother, who had been admitted to Yashoda Hospital in Ghaziabad. By the time the medical board visited, Yadav’s mother had already been discharged.
The counsel for Yadav informed the court that his mother was readmitted to the hospital on Monday.
The bench remarked,
“You took 10 days to constitute a medical board. There needs to be some explanation. Don’t take our mild language in the order for granted. The state may have something against the petitioner, but the State has to be fair,”
The Supreme Court directed the medical superintendent of AIIMS to form a new medical board for an immediate assessment and to submit a report. Yadav’s counsel noted that his mother’s health had worsened in February and provided her medical documents. He mentioned that she was in the intensive care unit and had refused surgery.
In his interim bail application, Yadav stated that his mother, Umesh Yadav, was critically ill and hospitalized in the ICU. The treating doctors recommended immediate surgical intervention due to her serious condition.
The plea stated,
“Due to the serious condition of the petitioner’s mother, his assistance and presence is needed,”
On October 3, 2016, the Supreme Court sentenced Yadav without the benefit of remission. He is the son of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav, and his cousin Vishal Yadav was also convicted for the kidnapping and murder of business executive Nitish Katara.
Also Read: 2002 Nitish Katara Murder Case| Delhi HC to Hear Vikas Yadav’s Furlough Plea on January 8
The duo opposed Katara’s alleged relationship with Bharti Yadav, Vikas’s sister, due to caste differences.
Another co-convict, Sukhdev Pehalwan, received a 20-year sentence without remission benefits. The Delhi High Court upheld the life sentences for Vikas and Vishal Yadav, specifying a 30-year term without remission, and imposed a 25-year term on Pehalwan.
Last year, the Delhi prisons administration denied Yadav’s remission request, citing unsatisfactory conduct.