Court reserves the order for framing charges against Sukhdev

New Delhi, Apr 4 (UNI) A city court today reserved order for framing of charges against accused Sukhdev Pahalwan, who was arrested by the police on February 2005 in the sensational Nitish Katara murder case.

Patiala House Court Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Ravinder Kaur, fixed April 13 as the next date of hearing for framing of charges against Sukhdev.

The prosecution argued and relied heavily on two factors. On March 2, 2002, the disclosure statement of Bharti Yadav to the police that, Sukhdev came to the wedding ceremony in Ghaziabad along with two other person on the night of February 16-17, 2002.

Ajay Katara, another prosecution witness had already been examined by the court and told the court on March 18 that, the deceased was last seen in a Tata Safari in the intervening night of February 16 with Vikas and Vishal. The police had recovered the weapon of offence from the possession of Vishal and the wrist watch of Nitish from Vikas.

However, nothing was recovered from Sukhdev.

Earlier the court on March 3, issued non-bailable warrant against Bharti Yadav, the sister of the prime accused Vikas Yadav for March 27.

Bharti, a key witness in the case, is at present doing some professional course in London. She did not come to depose in the case citing some pleas. She was one of the last to have met her close friend Nitish. The prosecution believes that the recording of her statement in the court would unravel the motive behind the crime.

Bharti allegedly had an affair with Nitish, the son of a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. Vikas Yadav and Vishal Yadav the brother and cousin of Bharti are facing trial in the case for allegedly kidnapping and murdering Nitish Katara on the intervening night of February 16-17, 2002, from Ghaziabad where Nitish had gone to attend a marriage party.

The prosecution has alleged that they killed him because they did not like his relationship with Bharti.

It was also alleged by the prosecution that Vikas had masterminded the killing of Nitish after learning about his affair with his sister at a marriage party at Ghaziabad.

Vikas and Vishal are booked under Sections 302 (murder), 364 (kidnapping) and 201 (destruction of evidence) and 34 (common intention to commit a crime) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

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