{ SUKHDEV PEHELWAN } 20 YEARS IN JAIL WITHOUT REMISSION SC orders release of Nitish Katara murder accused

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the release of Nitish Katara murder convict Sukhdev Pehelwan on completing 20 years of his life-term sentence, without any remission, even as the court, in a separate proceeding, dismissed a plea by another convict, Vikas Yadav, who challenged the 25-year bar on remission imposed as punishment for the crime committed in 2002.

- Abraham Thomas

In his petition, Pehelwan sought release, contending that the top court's judgment convicting him in October 2016 had imposed a fixed-term sentence of 20 years without remission.

A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and KV Vishwanathan accepted the argument and held that as per the 2016 decision, the 20-year sentence ended in March. “In these circumstances, he is entitled to release...He shall be released forthwith if not wanted in any other case,” the court said.

The contentions of senior advocate Siddharth Mridul, representing Pehelwan, were challenged by the Delhi government, repre-

MEANWHILE, THE SC DISMISSED VIKAS YADAV'S PLEA QUESTIONING HOW THE COURT COULD DIRECT HIM TO BE IN JAIL FOR 25 YEARS WITHOUT REMISSION