Delhi HC directs authorities to decide in 2 weeks parole application of murder convict Vikas Yadav

The Delhi High Court has directed the concerned authority to decide in two weeks the parole application of Vikas Yadav, who is serving a life term in a 2002 murder case.

A bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru, while disposing of Yadav's petition, directed the concerned authority to examine his plea as an application for parole in accordance with Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, and pass an appropriate order as expeditiously as possible and in any event within a period of two weeks from today.

Vikas Yadav is serving a life term for killing business executive Nitish Katara in 2002. His cousin, Vishal Yadav, who is also serving a life sentence in the same case had also recently approached the court for emergency parole due to COVID-19 and overcrowding in jail.

An order on Vishal Yadav's parole will be passed next week.

Vikas Yadav had sought eight weeks parole on the ground that his mother, who was of an advanced age, was required to be taken care of. He had submitted that his father was also currently incarcerated in Dehradun jail and has been unable to look after his family.

His lawyer also stated that the petitioner is suffering from medical problems and would require medical treatment. Vikas Yadav had approached the High Court seeking quashing of the May 16 order, rejecting the petitioner's application for parole.

"The Delhi government and Neelam Katara (mother of Nitish Katara) are also at liberty to send any representation to the concerned authority if they desire to oppose the petitioner's application for parole," the high court noted in its order.

In 2016, the Supreme Court had awarded 25-year jail term to Vikas Yadav and Vishal Yadav for their role in the kidnapping and killing of Katara. Another convict Sukhdev Pehalwan was also sentenced to 20-year jail term in the case.

( With inputs from ANI )