tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49175651738583230482024-03-07T00:39:06.664-08:00Justice For Nitish Katara - JUSTICE DELAYED - But, Not Denied...UNITED STUDENTS;along with the entire nation welcomes the benchmark verdict in the Nitish Katara Murder Case after 6 long years. We demand reform in the CrPC & introduction of Witness Protection Act. Most harsh punishment be struck upon the culprit so that spoilt brats of power know that they are not above the law. It should set a precedent. We salute Mrs. Neelam Katara;only because of her strong conviction a positive ray of light came at the end of the dark tunnel.Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-16364347770714729112008-06-08T01:06:00.000-07:002008-06-08T01:12:07.891-07:00Katara murder case: Vikas, Vishal get life term<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxD4Mm-Plu7PpA7IqlgkEgMn7vO1aZAnFzIPFlWnWLXezFSaAH66r-bPKsta7k4o_k_cDpN5LIdk2hwq23HiXI1YNFLcnwhF_tY8wr8hLjo1BwW7IZVlZTNyxhzjvr-QLToHwWl-p9uBo/s1600-h/vikasyadav2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209420381613647922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxD4Mm-Plu7PpA7IqlgkEgMn7vO1aZAnFzIPFlWnWLXezFSaAH66r-bPKsta7k4o_k_cDpN5LIdk2hwq23HiXI1YNFLcnwhF_tY8wr8hLjo1BwW7IZVlZTNyxhzjvr-QLToHwWl-p9uBo/s320/vikasyadav2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />Anasuya Roy</div><br /><div>NDTV<br />Friday, May 30, 2008 (New Delhi)<br />A Delhi court has sentenced Vikas and Vishal Yadav to life imprisonment in the Nitish Katara murder case and now they will spend the rest of their lives in jail.They have also been fined with Rs 1.6 lakh each.The cousins were found guilty of bludgeoning Nitish Katara to death and burning his body six years ago.The prosecution, in a packed courtroom, described it as an act of extreme depravity.But the judge said that this is not a rarest of rare cases and the Yadavs should not be given death.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Neelam Katara, Nitish's mother said, ''I respect the order of the court.''Nitish Katara was a 24-year-old executive in love with Bharti Yadav, daughter of DP Yadav.Vikas Yadav's father DP Yadav, a powerful UP politician, was also present in court with a large number of supporters.''We have faith in the judiciary but we will fight it,'' he said.It is one of Delhi's most controversial and closely watched cases and the trial took nearly six years to conclude. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The motive of the crime was Vikas Yadav's objection to Nitish Katara's relationship with his sister Bharti.In documents available to NDTV, in both her police statement and her e-mails, Bharti clearly blames her father and brother for kidnapping and killing Nitish.But she later backtracked and has since maintained that her brother is innocent, a statement she repeated even after arriving in Delhi on Thursday for the sentencing.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This may be the last day of the Nitish Katara case at the Patiala house court but both have made it clear the legal battle will continue and the mother who has fought for the last six years is clear she will not rest till she ensures justice for her son.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Twists and turns</strong> </div><br /><div>Nitish's mother Neelam Katara has seen it all in her fight for justice. From identifying her son's charred remains to fighting for the case to be heard out of Ghaziabad courts for a fair trial. She also saw the witnesses turn hostile and lost her husband, who supported her in the fight for justice. She has sat through 400 sittings waiting to hear what she did on Tuesday- that Vikas and Vishal Yadav are guilty of murdering her son Nitish Katara.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>''I found the body badly charred and the head had been struck with a hard object. There was a crack on the head and after that the body had been badly burnt. Everything was charred. God forbid that any parent ever have to see the child like that,'' said Neelam Katara, mother of Nitish Katara.And yet, that's exactly what Neelam Katara saw on a foggy February morning six years ago. Her older son was found dead in a sugarcane field near Ghaziabad. He had been attacked repeatedly with a hammer.His body had then been set on fire.The night before, he was at the wedding of a college friend. With him, as always, was Bharti Yadav. Bharti's brother Vikas and her cousin Vishal were also at the wedding. They allegedly left the party with Nitish that night in their SUV and killed him because they didn't approve of his romance with their sister. But when Nitish was found dead, the Yadav boys were already missing.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Their father, then a Rajya Sabha Samajwadi Party MP spoke in their defence.''We are being falsely implicated. There is an election coming, that is why people are trying to tarnish the family's name,'' said D P Yadav, father of accused. Vikas and Vishal Yadav were found and arrested four days after Nitish's death. In Madhya Pradesh, Vikas first confessed he got into a fight with Nitish at the wedding.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>''I had a minor fight with someone, thats all. Someone told me later that the person was Nitish Katara. I had no idea till then,'' said Vikas Yadav, accused.A week later came this retraction. ''I have never heard that name. I have never seen him in my life. I just went to the wedding and came back,'' said Vikas.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Bharti's flip-flop</strong> </div><br /><div>In documents available to NDTV, in both her police statement and her emails days after Nitish's death, Bharti clearly blames her father and brother for kidnapping and killing Nitish. But sitting next to her father, Bharti told the press that despite all the Valentine's Day cards, she had never dated Nitish. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Bharti was then sent to London to study. In the next four years, one witness after another turned hostile. Neelam Katara campaigned successfully to have the case transferred out of Ghaziabad on the grounds that D P Yadav was infliuencing proceedings. Two years ago, the case moved to Delhi and then began the battle to get Bharti back to Delhi to testify.The Yadavs refused to cooperate stating in court that they had no idea where their only daughter was. Finally the government cancelled her passport forcing her to testify in Delhi but she had nothing new to say. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In April last year, Neelam Katara succeeded in getting her son's case fast-tracked. In the last six years, she has quit her job, her husband has died but she followed a one-point agenda. </div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-2480086558076434112008-05-28T05:59:00.000-07:002008-06-08T01:15:30.177-07:00Justice for Priyadarshini, Jessica and now Nitish<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsN5ZhOrbI0kUvF_AH9xHy2iGOf30K0OdScvHXrvVhkVUbd_nXo5v3VcxDMEEvCUK80a84yjuPon_OMCediWaNtqsjwoV1EGWjXyHTiHtEjyW_YHzm73sy5lHTY1_l4ElPyvebicYDcuY/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205417793760583010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsN5ZhOrbI0kUvF_AH9xHy2iGOf30K0OdScvHXrvVhkVUbd_nXo5v3VcxDMEEvCUK80a84yjuPon_OMCediWaNtqsjwoV1EGWjXyHTiHtEjyW_YHzm73sy5lHTY1_l4ElPyvebicYDcuY/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong> Mrs. Neelam Katara with her son Nitin at the Patiala Court on Wednesday.</strong><br /><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">-</span></strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Watch In Pictures</span> - <a href="http://www.ibnlive.com/photogallery/550.html">http://www.ibnlive.com/photogallery/550.html</a></strong></span></div><br /><div align="left"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Watch In Video</span> - <a href="http://broadband.indiatimes.com/videoshow/3080191.cms">http://broadband.indiatimes.com/videoshow/3080191.cms</a></strong></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffffcc;"><strong>New Delhi: The guilty verdict against Vikas Yadav and Vishal Yadav, the cousins accused of murdering young business executive Nitish Katara, is the third famous crime case involving powerful suspects and a spirited public campaign for justice.</strong></span></div><span style="font-size:0;"><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-<br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A nationwide public campaign, backed up by continuous media focus, is believed to have led convictions in the Priyadarshini Matto and the Jessica Lal murder cases.</span></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></strong></div><div align="justify"></span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffffcc;"><strong>Lawyer Santosh Kumar Singh, son of a retired IPS officer, has been sentenced to death for raping and killing law student Priyadarshini in 1996.</strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Priyadarshini’s father Chaman Lal Mattoo, an elderly and ailing man, fought for six years before finally ensuring that her killer was punished.</strong></span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffffcc;"><strong>-<br />The Delhi High Court, while convicting Singh in October 2006, severely criticized the lower court which acquitted him and the investigating authorities in the case.</strong></span></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffffcc;"><strong>Then in December 2006, Manu Sharma, son of former Haryana minister Venod Sharma, was found guilty of murdering model Jessica Lall.</strong></span></div><span style="font-size:0;"><strong><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-<br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Jessica was shot dead in the early hours of April 30, 1999, at a restaurant in Delhi when she refused to serve Sharma liquor.</span></span></strong></span></div><strong><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffffcc;">-<br />A trial court had acquitted all the nine accused in the case but the case was reopened when police challenged the acquittal after a public outcry.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffffcc;">-<br />This case too was marked by a long-drawn trial, media focus and the Lall family’s refusal to drop their fight. </span></strong></div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"><strong>-</strong></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"><strong>'Now no other son will meet Nitish's fate'</strong></span><br /><strong>The Times of India</strong><br />-<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><strong>NEW DELHI:</strong> <strong>Neelam Katara,</strong> mother of the murder victim Nitish Katara, on Wednesday termed the trial court judgement convicting prime accused Vikas and his cousin Vishal Yadav in the case as a "milestone" and hoped that it would ensure that no other person would meet the fate of her son.<br /></span><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">"This is a milestone case and I believe this (judgement) would ensure no other son of any mother would meet such a fate (as that of her son)," she said, in her reaction to the court's verdict. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">"My faith in the judiciary have been vindicated and strengthened with the verdict. Now I am feeling a sense of relief and am grateful to God," she told reporters outside the courtroom in the Patiala House courts here. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">The victim's younger brother Nitin Katara attributed the judgement to her mother's relentless fight for justice. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">"I believe he (Nitish) died for love. He died for freedom of expression, he died for that school of thought...in our generation that we are allowed to make a choice and stand by it and that belief has been vindicated today by this decision." </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">On being asked why she stayed away from the trial for so long, he said my mother was the big force fighting for justice and I did not want to be a distraction for her. "My mother is my God," he said. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">However<strong>, G K Bharti</strong>, counsel for Yadavs, said "it seems that the trial court has given this verdict under some pressures from some quarter." </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">On the contrary, <strong>Special Public Prosecutor B S Joon</strong> said that in view of the evidence, he had firm belief since the very beginning that it was accused who had committed the offence. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">"In my mind, it was always there that Vikas and Vishal have committed the gruesome crime and they cannot evade the conviction for their act, and you all saw and heard it today what the court had delivered," he said, adding that justice has finally been delivered. </span></div></div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-77203525975001092992008-05-28T01:38:00.000-07:002008-05-28T01:40:13.536-07:00Katara Case : Verdict likely todayNEW DELHI: The trial <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink0" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,0);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,0);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,0);" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/File_Katara_files_appeal_in_HC/articleshow/3078577.cms#" target="_new">court hearing</a> the six-year-old Nitish Katara case is likely to pronounce its verdict on Wednesday, even though prime accused Vikas Yadav might be hoping that Delhi High Court will restrain the lower court from going ahead with the verdict. ( <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-DECORATION: underline" href="http://broadband.indiatimes.com/videoshow/3078639.cms" target="_blank">Watch </a>) Tuesday saw swift developments in the case, which has been marked by a flurry of applications being moved by defence <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink1" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,1);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,1);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,1);" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/File_Katara_files_appeal_in_HC/articleshow/3078577.cms#" target="_new">lawyers</a> representing Vikas, son of UP politician D P Yadav, and his cousin Vishal Yadav. Applications were filed at every stage of the hearing, even after court had wrapped up the trial. As additional sessions judge Ravinder Kaur dismissed Vikas' plea to recall key witness Ajay Katara for examination and informed both parties Kaur will give the verdict on Wednesday, his lawyers rushed to HC in appeal and sought a stay on pronouncement until Ajay is re-examined. However, HC will hear the <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink2" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,2);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,2);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,2);" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/File_Katara_files_appeal_in_HC/articleshow/3078577.cms#" target="_new">application</a> on Wednesday itself. Vikas' decision to move HC at this stage and press for Ajay Katara's summoning comes in the wake of a CD which surfaced last week, featuring an alleged sting operation conducted on Ajay, who was, according to the prosecution, a witness to "last seen evidence." Ajay had testified during the trial that, on the intervening night of February 16-17, 2002, when Nitish was murdered, he saw him with Vikas and Vishal in a Tata Safari in Ghaziabad. The prosecution says this makes the chain of circumstantial evidence — on which the case is based — complete. The defence, on the other hand, has attacked Ajay as a witness planted by police and tried its best to discredit him. This only goes to highlight the importance of his evidence in court, which will have a bearing on the verdict on Wednesday. Kaur dismissed Vikas' plea on Tuesday and said she found "no justifiable reason to allow the present application, particularly when an application by the accused under Section 311 (court's power to summon witness) of the CrPC to the similar effect has already been disposed of on May 24." The court took serious note of the fresh application and added, "It is the duty of the court to see that neither the prosecution nor the defence is allowed to misuse the process of the court. Since the trial is already over and the judgment is to be pronounced, this is no stage to summon the witnesses, particularly (in view of the) disposal of an earlier similar application." Apart from Ajay, the other testimony which will decide the fate of the case is that of Vikas' sister Bharti Yadav, a central figure in the entire case and "an important witness" according to Delhi HC, which reversed the prosecution's decision to drop her as its witness in the course of the trial. Bharti's proximity to Nitish was disliked by her brothers who therefore murdered him, claimed the prosecution, while imputing motive to the crime. After repeated summons failed and court threatened to declare her a PO, Bharti — who left for UK within days of the murder— returned to India in 2006. It will be interesting to see how the trial court deals with her testimony. Although she admitted to being close to Nitish, she has given a clean chit to her brothers. While she stood by all documentary evidence tabled by the prosecution, for example, the Valentine's Day album, greeting cards, snaps and letters to Nitish, Bharti maintained her family were unaware of her friendship with Nitish. There was, therefore, no question of them disliking him and she had no plans to tie the knot with Nitish. Vikas, who has been convicted for his role in the Jessica Lal murder and is undergoing a prison sentence has been in jail since his arrest in this case and his several bail pleas have been rejected even by <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink3" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,3);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,3);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,3);" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/File_Katara_files_appeal_in_HC/articleshow/3078577.cms#" target="_new">Supreme Court</a>. Vishal has been on bail since 2005.Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-19881771654579674022007-10-13T00:14:00.000-07:002007-10-13T00:24:02.611-07:00Katara murder: SC adjourns hearing on Vikas Yadav's plea<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpyAaBX9err8ZbxlUS1xyjLVOkDvXq8J0lqh8hzXm4BPvoOwyRc1z9i7_0XTB_Mj4Il474mFyAYjqmTtT3iZ47QKLaEHbIgrqGHZ07CM_4Hsy3PVDNc7euSUd6DcglYwuRUk5iwJxel5Y/s1600-h/20021011008607501.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5120718700247395394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpyAaBX9err8ZbxlUS1xyjLVOkDvXq8J0lqh8hzXm4BPvoOwyRc1z9i7_0XTB_Mj4Il474mFyAYjqmTtT3iZ47QKLaEHbIgrqGHZ07CM_4Hsy3PVDNc7euSUd6DcglYwuRUk5iwJxel5Y/s400/20021011008607501.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;">NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday posted for October 29, hearing of a petition filed by Vikas Yadav, son of ex-MP D P Yadav and key accused in the Nitish Katara murder case seeking transfer of the trial to any court outside Delhi. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In his petition, Vikas Yadav while accusing the Delhi Government of showing extraordinary interest in the case, claimed that the trial court judge Ravinder Kaur had not given him proper opportunity to produce adequate evidence and cross-examine key witnesses.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Vikas Yadav claimed that the Delhi Government has appointed a Standing Counsel even though it was not a prosecuting agency. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The petitioner cited a letter purportedly written earlier by the Home Secretary to the Foreign Secretary for production of Bharti Yadav from the UK as a key prosecution witness in which the official reportedly made certain remarks prejudicial to the fair trial of the accused. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In the letter the Home Secretary reportedly remarked to the Foreign Secretary that it is their duty to ensure that justice is done and that the victim's family rightfully believes that the Government has not done enough.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-46198563143590068012007-09-21T00:49:00.000-07:002008-06-08T01:18:58.827-07:00Katara case: Final arguments to begin from October 6<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CXmAC_opZFT2gk89NKnsvRavKTMHiVDQ2u7UIo0mhdROX7Co8lrI8Q13DLeL9Bj_gSWF5n-pXAGo0x6Kk-kq86B1GgfUxIFElT7ecsvU2kaA5H-3ih4qwOCZG21XEOd0T3n8EyLAq7c/s1600-h/nitishkatara.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112563000858029202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CXmAC_opZFT2gk89NKnsvRavKTMHiVDQ2u7UIo0mhdROX7Co8lrI8Q13DLeL9Bj_gSWF5n-pXAGo0x6Kk-kq86B1GgfUxIFElT7ecsvU2kaA5H-3ih4qwOCZG21XEOd0T3n8EyLAq7c/s400/nitishkatara.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;">The city court, trying the Nitish Katara murder case, will start hearing final arguments from October six, as it wrapped up the defence evidence on Thursday, in keeping with a deadline set by the Delhi High Court.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;">Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur on Thursday fixed four dates in October -- six, eight, nine and ten -- for hearing the arguments in the five-year-old trial and said the future dates would be given as the case proceeds.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;">Earlier in the day, the judge was apprised by the defence counsel of an application filed in the High Court seeking extension of the time frame but as the matter there was adjourned for Friday, the trial court decided to adhere to currently applicable deadline of September 20.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;">The High Court had recently directed Vikas Yadav, an accused and son of controversial Uttar Pradesh politician DP Yadav, to conclude the recording of statements of his witnesses by September 20, saying no further opportunity would be provided after this date.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;">The examination of defence witnesses had started on July three and the accused produced a total of 24 witnesses.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;">Meanwhile, as against its claim of producing five witnesses, the defence could today manage to produce only one, a record-keeper from a Ghaziabad court.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;">The witness, Sunil Kumar Sharma, had brought certain documents pertaining to a criminal case against Ajay Katara, a key prosecution witness, filed by his wife Tanu Chowdhry.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;">He, however, accepted during the cross-examination that the police had twice submitted cancellation reports in the case after finding no incriminating material against Ajay.</span></div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-51603061505453491592007-07-07T03:06:00.001-07:002008-06-08T01:19:50.701-07:00Trial court seeks more time to conclude Nitish Katara case<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrswZ0omFGAfatNxDExUxcPpM5TxH982hgSpKALQyawyWsEA7l_BFDdy-K6rkyRojJo0t-b5q4MpfpjrC0DrDmk0eOdmhh11R_YPKdK6CWUcN4bwlZHhIOmu763cRaiaqfUVgJuILPdo/s1600-h/delhi1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084397511454471426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrswZ0omFGAfatNxDExUxcPpM5TxH982hgSpKALQyawyWsEA7l_BFDdy-K6rkyRojJo0t-b5q4MpfpjrC0DrDmk0eOdmhh11R_YPKdK6CWUcN4bwlZHhIOmu763cRaiaqfUVgJuILPdo/s400/delhi1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#ffffff;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">New Delhi, July 03: The sessions court hearing the Nitish Katara murder case has approached the Delhi High Court seeking extention of the timeframe for completion of trial after it failed to meet the deadline of May 31.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The High Court on February one had instructed the trial court to complete the entire proceedings of the case within four months. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">With recording of evidence of defence witnesses still at the initial stage, Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur filed an application before the high court seeking more time to conclude the trial of the case. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Justice B N Chaturvedi before whom the matter was listed, posted the hearing for July 26, the day the bail application of main accused Vikas Yaadav will be taken for adjudication. The High Court on February 1, while refusing to grant bail to Vikas, son of controversial Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav, had observed that the trial was at fag end and "equities can be balanced by directing the trial court to dispose of the matter within a stipulated time frame".</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Neelam Katara, the mother of the victim, said there has been delay in the recording of evidence after the deposition of key witness Bharti Yadav, as the proceedings have been adjourned regularly, primarily on the medical ground raised by some other witnesses including the elder sister of the accused. </span></span></div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-28865925103912504732007-06-03T07:13:00.000-07:002007-06-03T07:18:41.340-07:00Chase scare for Ajay Katara<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXxZCTF-1wGktOxtgs01YJChbEV_jqBU6YZYQG3r0IrI3Sw2_bBfEYyvfAj7MuOkk-qwVyzxLTrx3D4PwxwVH1oOlxRipG5rm4S1lSjfMSR5uPxjEKzSbC9FzY6Q-CI5g9O6X7USlMik/s1600-h/nat1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071842259817517762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXxZCTF-1wGktOxtgs01YJChbEV_jqBU6YZYQG3r0IrI3Sw2_bBfEYyvfAj7MuOkk-qwVyzxLTrx3D4PwxwVH1oOlxRipG5rm4S1lSjfMSR5uPxjEKzSbC9FzY6Q-CI5g9O6X7USlMik/s400/nat1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />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. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>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." </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>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." </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>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.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>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. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>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.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>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. </div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-33560479319989421382007-04-14T00:53:00.000-07:002007-04-14T09:14:53.927-07:00Nitish Katara's murder - election issue at Bisauli<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmLFgN4VauqmfzJomofEEwSFBGxk_Wowc_WtPd9jVKf5w-KSHX8e7v35WLcUhMtMdxLT0FMWHr5OOJjfGYneX5S64UmHUs36FryPi83prCt-TpRPSR1x5X2YjRUOqiHRGCVPcKMkowK8/s1600-h/11.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053317986852748578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmLFgN4VauqmfzJomofEEwSFBGxk_Wowc_WtPd9jVKf5w-KSHX8e7v35WLcUhMtMdxLT0FMWHr5OOJjfGYneX5S64UmHUs36FryPi83prCt-TpRPSR1x5X2YjRUOqiHRGCVPcKMkowK8/s400/11.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div>A piquant situation is unfolding at Bisauli seat of Budaun where the Rashtriya Parivartan Dal (RPD) candidate Urmilesh Yadav is contesting Vidhan Sabha election.Urmilesh Yadav happens to be the mother of Vikas Yadav-the prime accused in the Nitish Katara murder case.<br /><br />If reports emanating from Bisauli were to be believed Urmilesh Yadav is making attempts to strike an emotional chord with the electorate going to voters as a harassed mother who wants to save her son-Vikas Yadav.“Vikas Yadav Ka Arman, Unki Maa Ka Karo Samman” (Vikas Yadav aspires to get respect and honour to her mother) is the new slogan that has been coined to garner votes for Urmilesh Yadav.<br /><br />So far Urmilesh Yadav has been able to put across her point well with the voters and she is being considered as a frontrunner for the seat.A resident of Bisauli talking to this correspondent on telephone said he had come across advertisement of Urmilesh Yadav in the local newspapers seeking votes in the name of Vikas Yadav.<br /><br />“Often she gets emotional and bursts into tears while referring name of her son to voters,” he said adding that the Nitish Katara’s murder this is becoming a big election issue on this Vidhan Sabha seat.There are 10 candidates in fray from Bisauli seat.<br /><br />Others in the fray include the Samajwadi Party candidate Yogendra Kumar Garg alias Kunnu Babu who is seeking re-election from the seat. The Congress has fielded Shakuntala Moriya while BSP has fielded Lokendra Sharma. The BJP has made Prem Swaroop Pathak its candidate from the seat.<br /><br />Significantly Urmilesh’ husband DP Yadav and the RPD chief is also a candidate from the Sahaswan Vidhan Sabha seat. Besides Bisauli and Sahaswan another seat of the Budaun –Gunnaur is already in focus as Chief Minister is contesting election from there.</div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-50158887243533037942007-04-14T00:44:00.000-07:002007-04-14T00:48:19.030-07:00Katara murder: Warrant for BSNL officerNEW DELHI: A Delhi court has issued arrest warrants against a BSNL officer for failing to appear as a witness in the Nitish Katara murder case in which Vikas Yadav, son of U P Politician D P Yadav, is the main accused.<br /><br />Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur issued the bailable warrant against the Deputy General Manager (Operations) Ghaziabad of BSNL executable on or before April 16. The court also posted the matter to the next date of hearing for the testimony of the UP Police Sub-Inspector Anil Samania, who had investigated the case in Ghaziabad.<br /><br />The court had on April 3 summoned for April 9 three witnesses – Ghaziabad police personnel Anil Samania and two nodal officers from the state-owned telecom major BSNL – to record their statements. The BSNL officers were summoned to establish two landline phone numbers which were installed at D P Yadav's residence which the two witnesses, his daughters Bharti and Bhavna had denied in their testimony.<br /><br />The prosecution alleges that these were the numbers from which calls were made to victim's mother Neelam Katara and brother Nitin from February 17 to 19, 2002.<br /><br /> Vikas and Vishal Yadav, son and nephew of Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav, are accused of kidnapping and killing Nitish as they did not like his relationship with their sister Bharti.<br /><br /> Katara, son of an IAS officer, was murdered on the night intervening February 16-17, 2002 in Ghaziabad, where he had gone to attend the marriage of their common friend Shivani Gaur.Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-28338089299633154122007-04-14T00:41:00.000-07:002007-04-14T09:18:24.993-07:00Katara murder case: Day-to-day hearing ordered<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn380a3YM7DWV-mNHnluj42W0ToULnZHaB6YlT0A_RBQuuOm1BIFNQkLcqrtuwN8-uYpJ-mKLewx1RSv51LdHqedGPtxBUwr8TK3asZB_rzO-l-h9Z_gLRZEbJGSrpJaOhXqC0XhohytY/s1600-h/nitish_bharti.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053318747061959986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn380a3YM7DWV-mNHnluj42W0ToULnZHaB6YlT0A_RBQuuOm1BIFNQkLcqrtuwN8-uYpJ-mKLewx1RSv51LdHqedGPtxBUwr8TK3asZB_rzO-l-h9Z_gLRZEbJGSrpJaOhXqC0XhohytY/s400/nitish_bharti.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>April 03, 2007 20:35 IST<br /><br />A Delhi court on Tuesday ordered day-to-day hearing from April 17 in the Nitish Katara murder case in which the son of UP politician D P Yadav is the main accused.<br /><br />The Delhi high court had in January directed that the trial be concluded by May 31.<br />Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur also summoned for April 9 three witnesses -- Ghaziabad cop Anil Samania and two nodal officers from the state-owned telecom major BSNL, to record their statements.<br /><br />The BSNL officers have been summoned to establish that two landline phone numbers were installed at D P Yadav's residence which the two witnesses, his daughters Bharti and Bhavna had denied in their testimony.<br /><br />The prosecution alleges that these were the numbers from which calls were made to victim's mother Neelam Katara and brother Nitin from February 17 to 19, 2002.<br /><br />Bhavna had admitted that she might have called Nitish's brother Nitin at about 10.35 pm on February 18, 2002, and received a call from him the next day and that the mobile phone by which the calls were made to the mother of the deceased on the day of the incident belonged to her.<br /><br />Vikas and Vishal Yadav, son and nephew of Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav, are accused of kidnapping and killing Nitish as they did not like his relationship with their sister Bharti.<br />Katara, son of an IAS officer, was murdered on the night intervening February 16-17, 2002, in Ghaziabad, near Delhi, where he had gone to attend the marriage of their common friend Shivani Gaur.</div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-38624194171300947472007-03-14T13:37:00.000-07:002007-03-14T13:44:17.606-07:00Katara case: Bhavna Yadav testifies in court<strong>Press Trust of India</strong><br /><strong>Friday, March 9, 2007 (New Delhi):</strong><br /><br />Bhavna Yadav, sister of Bharti Yadav, a key witness in Nitish Katara murder case, on Friday admitted before a Delhi court that the mobile phone by which the calls were made to the deceased's mother belonged to her.<br /><br />The prosecution has alleged that Bharti, who had intimate relationship with the victim, had called his mother expressing concern about his whereabouts.<br /><br />Bhavna, however, did not specify the persons who used her mobile on the date of the incident.<br /><br /> Vikas and Vishal Yadav, son and nephew of Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav, are accused of kidnapping and killing Katara as they did not like his relationship with their sister.<br /><br /><strong>Old friend</strong><br /><br />Bhavna, who deposed after failing to appear on three dates, accepted before Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur that Katara had even joined them on her birthday in Mumbai.<br /><br />Nitish, along with Bharti, had accompanied her to Mumbai on August 24, 2000 to celebrate her birthday, Bhavna said.<br /><br />She further said that her husband Deepak Yadav had no objection to his presence during the celebration.<br /><br />Bhavna's testimony on the issue of mobile phone is crucial as Nitish's mother has said that Bharti had called her expressing concern about the well being of Nitish.<br /><br />Bharti was worried as she had seen him in the company of her brother and cousin when they were attending a marriage ceremony.<br /><br />Katara was murdered on the intervening night of February 16-17, 2002 in Ghaziabad where he had gone to attend a marriage party of their common friend.Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-82875149389839345432007-03-08T22:54:00.000-08:002007-03-08T23:02:38.625-08:00SC issues notice to Delhi police on Vikas Yadav petition<strong>Satya Prakash</strong><br /><strong>The Hindustan Times</strong><br /><strong>New Delhi, </strong><br /><strong>March 7, 2007</strong><br /><br /><div align="justify">The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi Police on a petition filed by former Rajya Sabha MP DP Yadav’s son Vikas Yadav, who wanted stay of his conviction in the Jessica Lall murder case to contest the ensuing assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">A Bench of Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justice RV Raveendran asked the Delhi Police to respsond to his petition by March 19, the next date of hearing after his counsel submitted that the filing of nomination papers was scheduled to commence on March 23.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Taking a cue from the stay of conviction of Navjot Singh Sidhu that enabled him to contest Amritsar Lok Sabha by-poll, Vikas, sentenced to four-year imprisonment in the Jessica Lall murder case has moved the apex court for a similar relief.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">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 and the court could cure the disqualification by staying the conviction.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">However, the Bench clarified that the stay of conviction could be granted only in rarest of rare cases.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">The High Court had sentenced prime accused Manu Sharma to life imprisonment while Vikas and Tony Gill got a jail term of four years each in the case.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">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, Vikas claimed that “irreparable” injury would be caused to him if the conviction and sentence were not stayed. He is also facing trial in the Nitish Katara murder case along with his cousin Vishal Yadav.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">His counsel submitted that 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.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">He claimed that he had not been charged with any offence that cast 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".</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">"The appellant has also undergone the sentence that itself mandates reasonable and exceptional circumstances for the order of conviction to be stayed," he submitted.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">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.</div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-34510453743383519612007-02-20T08:44:00.000-08:002007-02-20T08:52:43.375-08:00Vikas Yadav moves the SC for Sidhu-like relief<span style="font-size:130%;">Satya Prakash</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The Hindustan Times</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">New Delhi, February 19, 2007</span><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDPfBLiWPUdHpu-rhUpCW98oKyyT9pJgN3JpjObxW8K53VmaAg1tLsgye5_lA3nI52-JCo50E7QeX-OtPATqlqi5-rImW60UZjgsHFg7xz6dqe0Pu2b3QiXH4BhC2qPlH-wknw3wVIZA/s1600-h/sci.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033659292146014834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDPfBLiWPUdHpu-rhUpCW98oKyyT9pJgN3JpjObxW8K53VmaAg1tLsgye5_lA3nI52-JCo50E7QeX-OtPATqlqi5-rImW60UZjgsHFg7xz6dqe0Pu2b3QiXH4BhC2qPlH-wknw3wVIZA/s400/sci.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>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.<br /></div></strong><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0XbZ3PinmA1c3FDZd61CIpbDOFnhh1GV6DykifoDlFSId15t0T9m-1xdhg4hibNziJ3IHaJy1TzjxKmzYnkjnoUIPmcYlo9BpC6qI-_5bJVvcZqE8LXfvb6ziAf3c6YZUNzBS1QFeqY/s1600-h/untitled.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033658536231770722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0XbZ3PinmA1c3FDZd61CIpbDOFnhh1GV6DykifoDlFSId15t0T9m-1xdhg4hibNziJ3IHaJy1TzjxKmzYnkjnoUIPmcYlo9BpC6qI-_5bJVvcZqE8LXfvb6ziAf3c6YZUNzBS1QFeqY/s400/untitled.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>Vikas said he had contested the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier too and had lost by a narrow margin of 400 votes only.</strong></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>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.”</strong></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>“The appellant has also undergone the sentence that itself mandates reasonable and exceptional circumstances for the order of conviction to be stayed,” he submitted.</strong></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>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.<br /></div></strong>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-52117107059607418362007-02-17T12:10:00.000-08:002007-02-17T12:23:41.228-08:00Family and friends remember Nitish Katara<strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">Report: Anasuya Roy, NDTV</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">Photographs: Aditya Raj Kaul</span></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Saturday, February 17, 2007 (New Delhi):</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><div align="justify"><strong>It has been five years since Nitish Katara, a young management graduate from Delhi, was murdered.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>On Saturday, friends and family members gathered at the Katara residence to remember him.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>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.</strong></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggVtOxqaF21QP55aVKxx1zOHv95hGoBwXGbySjh6il5WfP9r-secs-RvGMCxv8cTMrBb4Iexsw5Hoi0aqwQbGmtKc3so3ly1nz4l1uaZ24k8YkBm2Uqt9SETm9E9-Xza1rOiwoYqmEmo/s1600-h/Katara+5th+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032599221202917970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggVtOxqaF21QP55aVKxx1zOHv95hGoBwXGbySjh6il5WfP9r-secs-RvGMCxv8cTMrBb4Iexsw5Hoi0aqwQbGmtKc3so3ly1nz4l1uaZ24k8YkBm2Uqt9SETm9E9-Xza1rOiwoYqmEmo/s400/Katara+5th+004.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="justify"><strong>Waiting for justice"Even if I didn't know Nitish, it does not matter. It is the cause," said Puja, a participant.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>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. </strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>"We stand by them," said Mattoo.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>There will be a sense of closure for the Katara family only when the case that has already dragged for five years ends.</strong></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjaVWnt5pRGqLTdweRwwGD8uk0HFrVmEDPld6-PcuXPa4qFt79g2kwmQyhUBAETAwfL0w4jTtQrmnsTiBSuiklDgbB4Wvp5ZxrudU4p0cwQC9Gwb752LDAdwYn7KH8J1eiOvE1fiVEtQ/s1600-h/Katara+5th+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032598753051482690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjaVWnt5pRGqLTdweRwwGD8uk0HFrVmEDPld6-PcuXPa4qFt79g2kwmQyhUBAETAwfL0w4jTtQrmnsTiBSuiklDgbB4Wvp5ZxrudU4p0cwQC9Gwb752LDAdwYn7KH8J1eiOvE1fiVEtQ/s400/Katara+5th+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-32844691459676962352007-02-17T00:58:00.000-08:002007-02-17T01:04:56.299-08:00Katara case: 16-yr-old launches online campaign<strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Anasuya Roy, NDTV</span></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Saturday,</strong><strong>February 17, 2007 (New Delhi):</strong><br /><strong><div align="justify"><br />It was five years ago that a young management graduate Nitish Katara was murdered in the capital.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">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.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>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.</strong> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Online petition</strong></span></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> <strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>"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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>Vindhya is also handing out petitions to students and teachers in her school and in just four days she has collected 800 signatures.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>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.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">For More Log on to : </span><a href="http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?category=National&template=Nitishkataramurder&id=101014&callid=1"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>NDTV FULL STORY</em> </span></a></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Sign the Petition For Justice in Nitish Katara Case @ - </span><a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/sparklie/petition.html"><span style="font-size:130%;">Petition Online</span></a></strong></div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-56045088986965726862007-02-15T10:59:00.000-08:002007-02-15T11:49:00.237-08:00JUSTICE FOR NITISH KATARA<span style="font-size:180%;"><strong><em>5 Years…A Remembrance</em></strong></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOebRsvJhEmkdcAXzCGbWBegx0jlVjevcfvP8K7gi47-lB1u5Oj561vrsHULGyZTcEwqsnmMcFqXY2E7bIY_bLAsPzdQNL2MCy33pKeLBKCV1RgMYZvy51z_9d9OgA0JCrr7fagLRnby0/s1600-h/nitishkatara.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5031838329091725874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOebRsvJhEmkdcAXzCGbWBegx0jlVjevcfvP8K7gi47-lB1u5Oj561vrsHULGyZTcEwqsnmMcFqXY2E7bIY_bLAsPzdQNL2MCy33pKeLBKCV1RgMYZvy51z_9d9OgA0JCrr7fagLRnby0/s400/nitishkatara.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:180%;color:#cc0000;">Join the Prayer Meeting on 17th Feb. 2007 (Saturday) at New Delhi</span><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Like the by gone era that never comes back… neither will Nitish.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Five years have elapsed but the family knows their pain will never really trim down and what will remain will always be.<br /><br />We remember, Nitish Katara.<br /><br />Join in to pray with the entire family:<br /><br />Day: Saturday,17th Feb. 2007 </span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><div>-<br />Time: 5:00pm to 6:30pm </div><div>-<br />Venue: 7, Chelmsford Road (near Railway Station), New Delhi<br /><br />Show your concern, join us and united we shall finally achieve justice and bring peace to his soul!<br /><br />Amen!</span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><div></div><div>R.S.V.P - <a href="mailto:justicefornitishkatara@gmail.com">justicefornitishkatara@gmail.com</a></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></strong></div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-53318116252518607982007-02-11T08:36:00.001-08:002007-02-12T06:30:08.583-08:00Mrs. Katara speaks out...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iywSsWgyRdH4avoXkb7hco-7lo7mZp_FJBauYXRvoY8nKDEWcVzNF5rGEvoFx02sfm3stsXgk8qt4tbeT8TJoAEn7gQVnem0KH49c4xqv3Apk77jGxHW-yAqmoj-ZcCjTMt_wMBj3cQ/s1600-h/neelam.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5030616926292089378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iywSsWgyRdH4avoXkb7hco-7lo7mZp_FJBauYXRvoY8nKDEWcVzNF5rGEvoFx02sfm3stsXgk8qt4tbeT8TJoAEn7gQVnem0KH49c4xqv3Apk77jGxHW-yAqmoj-ZcCjTMt_wMBj3cQ/s400/neelam.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify">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.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">"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.<br /><br />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. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><strong>We need to follow suit of the Bishnoi tribe..<br />We need to raise our voice wherever it is required..<br />We need to ensure that each voice is heard..<br />We need to ensure that Nitish gets justice...<br /><br />And he will get justice!</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>Also Read by Nitish's mother -<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/SUNDAY_SPECIALS/Mind_Over_Matter/I_AM_Neelam_Katara/articleshow/1077037.cms"> I AM : NEELAM KATARA</a></strong></div>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4917565173858323048.post-23236673139482018262007-02-11T08:36:00.000-08:002007-02-11T08:47:32.764-08:00Stand up for Justice...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1M_M2b7-Ol_Tu5VMf0cvU4a_U3MH-VJqk3Z3pl33Xihjtdb-tLIug2lU2WjJ8VqkeHdYbbk_G3JqimQhtmzNPEKGz2l7D6KUnA34FhU8bwYP5gzPWaPeo_zmmTVDFYgvR3mTqrSA_3k/s1600-h/nitish-katara-bharti-yadav_.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5030317884899138066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1M_M2b7-Ol_Tu5VMf0cvU4a_U3MH-VJqk3Z3pl33Xihjtdb-tLIug2lU2WjJ8VqkeHdYbbk_G3JqimQhtmzNPEKGz2l7D6KUnA34FhU8bwYP5gzPWaPeo_zmmTVDFYgvR3mTqrSA_3k/s400/nitish-katara-bharti-yadav_.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Citizens..</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">We the People of INDIA initiate the movement for the long-drawn, power-influenced Nitish Katara Murder Case...</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">It is the time to wake up and join hands together for justice, and we are sure justice would be delayed and not denied.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Sign the the online petition 'JUSTICE FOR NITISH KATARA' to move towards making a DIFFERENCE.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Click on the link below to sign the petition :</span></strong><a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/sparklie/petition.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">http://www.petitiononline.com/sparklie/petition.html</span></strong></a>Justice For Nitish Katarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403850812058456060noreply@blogger.com1