NEW DELHI: Ajay Katara, a key witness in the Nitish Katara murder case, was on Friday evening allegedly chased by some persons in two cars in Meerut's Kharkhoda police station area. Katara has filed a report of criminal intimidation against the car occupants, whom he claimed to have identified as Virendra Lor and Dinesh Gurjar of Bulandshahr district.
Katara claims former MP DP Yadav, whose son and nephew are the main accused in the Nitish Katara case, has been pressuring his in-laws to force him to withdraw from the case. Meerut senior superintendent of police Vijay Prakash told Times City: "Katara has alleged in a report, filed at the Kharkhoda police station, that the men in the two cars overtook his Indica car but when they saw the two personal security officers given to him on court orders, they went away." Prakash said: "Initial investigations revealed that they may have followed him but did not overtake or stop his car. But, we are still investigating the case."
Meerut range deputy inspector general of police Prashant Kumar said there seems to be some marital discord between Ajay Katara and his wife. "They had separately come to meet me about their marital problems. The car chase incident allegedly took place some time after that. We are investigating the whole matter and are also looking into the possibility if the incident was a fallout of the marital discord."
Turning up in the Patiala House court complex on Saturday Katara, the last scene witness in the case, submitted a copy of the FIR and his complaint in the court of additional sessions judge Ravinder Kaur. The FIR names Dinesh Singh Gurjjar and one Virendra who followed Katara near Meerut and allegedly tried to attack him.
Informing the court that the two personal security officers who were appointed on court orders were instrumental in saving his life, Katara has sought directions to the police to take action against the culprit. Chief Prosecutor Patiala House courts B S Joon said that in his complaint, Katara has also brought to the attention of the judge previous incidents when he was allegedly harassed, attacked or followed by Yadav's henchmen.
According to the prosecution, Ajay Katara is an extremely crucial witness because he was the one who last saw Nitish alive before he was allegedly murdered by the accused.
Meanwhile, Neelam Katara, mother of Nitish who was allegedly abducted and burnt alive by DP Yadav's son, Vikas Yadav, denied reports that Ajay Katara is Nitish's brother. "He is not related to us in any way. And, I have only one surviving son, Nitin Katara," she said.
