Vikas Yadav moves the SC for Sidhu-like relief

Satya Prakash
The Hindustan Times
New Delhi, February 19, 2007

Taking a cue from the stay of conviction of Navjot Singh Sidhu that enabled him to contest Amritsar Lok Sabha by-poll, Vikas Yadav sentenced to four-year imprisonment in the Jessica Lall murder case has moved the Supreme Court for a similar relief to fight the ensuing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Son of former Rajya Sabha MP DP Yadav, Vikas said the December 2006 Delhi High Court order sentencing him to four-year imprisonment for criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence has resulted into his disqualification under Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act to contest elections.

The High Court had sentenced prime accused Manu Sharma to life imprisonment while Vikas and two others got a jail term of four years each in the case.

Claiming that he was likely to be acquitted of the charges under Section 201 (destruction of evidence) and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, he claimed that “irreparable” injury would be caused to him if the conviction and sentence were not stayed.

Vikas said he had contested the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier too and had lost by a narrow margin of 400 votes only.

Citing the Sidhu judgment, he submitted that the apex court was empowered to stay the sentence as well as the order of conviction and requested it to pass an ex-parte order in his favour.

Submitting that he had not been charged with any offence that casts aspersions on his public dealings or morality, Vikas said he was “desirous of remaining in public life and wants to contest the election and face the electorate.”

“The appellant has also undergone the sentence that itself mandates reasonable and exceptional circumstances for the order of conviction to be stayed,” he submitted.

In an unprecedented order, a Bench of Justice G P Mathur and Justice R V Raveendran had on January 23 stayed the conviction of cricketer-turned-BJP politician Navjot Singh Sidhu in a road rage death case paving his way for contesting the Amritsar Lok Sabha by-election necessitated by his resignation.

Earlier, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had in December last year held Sidhu and co-convict Rupinder Singh Sandhu guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder for the death of one Gurnam Singh in 1988 in Patiala and sentenced them to three-year imprisonment.

Family and friends remember Nitish Katara

Report: Anasuya Roy, NDTV
Photographs: Aditya Raj Kaul

Saturday, February 17, 2007 (New Delhi):

It has been five years since Nitish Katara, a young management graduate from Delhi, was murdered.

On Saturday, friends and family members gathered at the Katara residence to remember him.

Nitish Katara's case continues to drag in court, but the recent judgements in the Jessica Lall and Priyadarshini Mattoo cases have given the family some hope.

Abhay Sopore, a close friend of Nitish Katara, played the santoor at the prayer meeting, as family and friends were joined by young campaigners, many of whom didn't even know Nitish personally.

Waiting for justice"Even if I didn't know Nitish, it does not matter. It is the cause," said Puja, a participant.

Among those assembled were Chaman Lal Mattoo, the father of murdered law student Priyadarshini Mattoo, and Sabrina Lall, the sister of murdered model Jessica Lall.

"We stand by them," said Mattoo.

There will be a sense of closure for the Katara family only when the case that has already dragged for five years ends.

Katara case: 16-yr-old launches online campaign

Anasuya Roy, NDTV


Saturday,February 17, 2007 (New Delhi):

It was five years ago that a young management graduate Nitish Katara was murdered in the capital.

Nitish was allegedly killed by a politician DP Yadav's son and nephew because they didn't approve of his relationship with Yadav's daughter Bharti.

The legal trial continues in the courtroom, but there is also a battle online. Young people are showing their activist streak by getting involved on cyberspace.

It's exam time for 11th class student Vindhya Malik and every now and then the 16-year-old takes a break from her studies to log on to the net.

Online petition

But Vindhya has no time for idle surfing. Her latest passion is to collect signatures for the online petition she has started for justice in the Nitish Katara case.

"Though I suppose the case is on track but I want to attract attention of people to the fact that it is now five years in court, till the case ends there is no closure for the family," said Vindhya.

Vindhya is also handing out petitions to students and teachers in her school and in just four days she has collected 800 signatures.

People across the globe have been logging on to Vindhya's website to show their solidarity with a mother who has been fighting a long and tough battle for justice.

Convictions in the Priyadarshani and Jessica case give hope to young people like Vindhya who now not only seek justice they want it without any delay.

For More Log on to : NDTV FULL STORY

Sign the Petition For Justice in Nitish Katara Case @ - Petition Online

JUSTICE FOR NITISH KATARA

5 Years…A Remembrance

Join the Prayer Meeting on 17th Feb. 2007 (Saturday) at New Delhi


Like the by gone era that never comes back… neither will Nitish.

He went back to heaven, although Nitish's stay on Earth seemed just a fleeting moment in time. But, his loving and resounding memories will always remain with us.

Five years have elapsed but the family knows their pain will never really trim down and what will remain will always be.

We remember, Nitish Katara.

Join in to pray with the entire family:

Day: Saturday,17th Feb. 2007

-
Time: 5:00pm to 6:30pm

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Venue: 7, Chelmsford Road (near Railway Station), New Delhi

Show your concern, join us and united we shall finally achieve justice and bring peace to his soul!

Amen!

R.S.V.P - justicefornitishkatara@gmail.com

Mrs. Katara speaks out...

Justice is late in coming and the process in itself has become a punishment. But Nitish Katara's mother is confident that she'll soon get JUSTICE. Even five years after the young executive was bludgeoned to death, allegedly by his girlfriend's brother, Vikas Yadav, Nilam Katara religiously attends every court hearing on the case. The verdict in the Priyadarshini Mattoo and Jessica Lall case has re-energised her for the fight. The entire nation is with her in this fight.

"I owe it to my son. He was a great stickler for justice,"she says when asked what keeps her going. Though she admits that the process is draining her physically and mentally. "I take each day as it comes,"she says.

Mrs. Katara maintains that she's not disheartened. "I am definitely looking at getting justice. A murder has taken place and no matter who the murderer is, he must be brought to book.

Jessica's case weakened because witnesses turned hostile. But the public and the media activism in the Mattoo case gave a strong push to the whole system.We need to learn from the Bishnoi tribe who got together and gave evidence against Salman Khan.

She attributes the problem to the system where the whole process of getting justice is long-drawn and where there is no protection for witnesses. "It is very easy to delay a case here and since money is important to sustain a case, the longer it drags, the more it goes in favour of the affluent party."The next date of hearing February 24.

We need to follow suit of the Bishnoi tribe..
We need to raise our voice wherever it is required..
We need to ensure that each voice is heard..
We need to ensure that Nitish gets justice...

And he will get justice!

Also Read by Nitish's mother - I AM : NEELAM KATARA

Stand up for Justice...

Citizens..

We the People of INDIA initiate the movement for the long-drawn, power-influenced Nitish Katara Murder Case...

It is the time to wake up and join hands together for justice, and we are sure justice would be delayed and not denied.

Sign the the online petition 'JUSTICE FOR NITISH KATARA' to move towards making a DIFFERENCE.

Click on the link below to sign the petition :http://www.petitiononline.com/sparklie/petition.html