SC to Delhi govt: Decide on remission of convicts

VIKAS YADAV, HIS COUSIN, AND PEHELWAN WERE CONVICTED AND SENTENCED FOR KIDNAPPING KATARA IN 2002, AND KILLING HIM IN A HATE CRIME

- Abraham Thomas

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Delhi government for delay in taking up the remission plea of a murder convict and directed the state to expedite the process and decide within two weeks as the matter concerns human liberty.

Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan was one of the accused in the gruesome murder of Nitish Katara in 2002.

Another accused in the case was Vikas Yadav, son of former Member of Parliament DP Yadav. Both of them were sentenced to life imprisonment, also making them eligible for remission after completion of minimum 20 years of sentence for Sukhdev and 25 years for Yadav.

Notably, Sukhdev has been in jail since February 2005 and as per the jail nominal roll, he had completed sentence of 19 years, 11 months and 10 days as on February 18, 2025.