Delhi government asks UP on Yadavs’ ‘out of Delhi’ trips

The Delhi government’s home department has sought information from its counterpart in Uttar Pradesh about the status of a case against former MP D.P. Yadav’s son Vikas and his cousin Vishal in Badaun. The home department has also sought details from the Tihar jail authorities on the “out of Delhi” trips allegedly undertaken by Vikas Yadav, his cousin Vishal Yadav and Sukhdev Pahelwan, three convicts in the Nitish Katara murder case.

The city home department has sought details such as dates of their visits, period of travel and the places the three convicts stayed in during their visits.

The three men, convicted for the 2002 murder of Nitish Katara, are lodged in the Tihar jail. Both Vikas and Vishal Yadav were sentenced to 30 years in prison and Sukhdev Pahelwan was sentenced to a 25-year term. The Delhi government’s letters to the principal secretary (home) of the Uttar Pradesh government and the Tihar jail authorities are slated to be part of a special leave petition of the case in the Supreme Court, which is likely to come up for hearing on March 2.

In a letter to Tihar authorities, the home department stated that the three convicts are under imprisonment in Tihar jail. “However, it is understood that they have travelled many times out of Delhi. In this regard, a reference is invited on the letter dated February 24, 2016 of superintendent, prison headquarters-I vide which you have been asked to provide information with regard to stay of place of the convict Vikas Yadav.”

The letter said: “You are requested to provide information about details of their visit outside Delhi i.e. city, date of visit, period of travel, place of their stay during the visit in the respective cities.”

The Delhi government’s communication comes after the victim’s mother, Neelam Katara, reportedly alleged that Vikas Yadav had made as many as 27 trips to Badaun in Uttar Pradesh over a period of 14 months — about two trips a month. This information was provided by Tihar jail authorities in answer to her RTI queries.

Following the RTI revelations, the Delhi government also sent an official communication to the principal secretary (home) of the Uttar Pradesh government, seeking information about the Badaun case.

The Delhi government’s home department has sent two reminders to its counterpart in UP, however, it is yet to respond.

The Delhi government’s communication said: “The latest status of the Vikas Yadav case in the Supreme Court has been sought. But the requisite information is still awaited. You are therefore once again requested to provide the latest status of the court case in Badaun court in r/o both the convicts of Nitish Katara murder case at the earliest. This may be accorded as top priority.”

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Ms Katara has opposed Vikas Yadav’s release on parole as he may abscond to another country and fears that she may be “eliminated.”

Vikas Yadav has asked for a two-week parole to sell his ancestral property in Uttar Pradesh.

“If the petitioner (Vikas) comes out on bail then he may eliminate her/other important witnesses,” the Delhi high court was told. The court fixed the matter for March 9 for filing of Vikas Yadav’s reply.

The high court on March 27 last year had granted seven-day custody parole to Vikas Yadav to visit his 93-year-old grandfather, who underwent an angioplasty.