Katara case: HC rejects bail plea of Vikas, Vishal

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to grant bail to Vikas and his cousin Vishal Yadav undergoing life imprisonment in Nitish Katara murder case.

A Division Bench of Justice B D Ahmed and Justice P K Bhasin dismissed the bail plea of Yadav duo and also rejected their counsel's submission that Vikas has been in custody for past seven years and Vishal has been in 4 and half years and so they were entitled for bail.

The court said although both the accused persons were in custody for past several years "their incarceration cannot be a ground by itself for grant of bail".

Referring to the trial court's findings, the court said the trial judge has convicted the accused persons on the basis of motive, last seen evidence by Ajay Katara and recovery of the weapon--a hammer.

"According to trial court, there is sufficient corroboration from other evidence to establish the guilt of appellants. We do not find any distinction at this stage of both Vishal and Vikas," the Bench added.

Meanwhile, citing the Supreme Court's judgment, the Bench permitted the Delhi government's plea to be impleaded as prosecuting state and clarified that the state of UP has no role at this stage as the trial has been transfered from UP to Delhi following an apex court order.