Judgement Day: Nitish Katara murder verdict

New Delhi: February 16, 2002: When Nitish Katara left his residence to attend a wedding, little did his family know that it was the last time they would ever see him.

The Murder: Nitish was allegedly kidnapped around midnight from Diamond Palace in Ghaziabad, the wedding venue, and driven 80 kilometers away to Khurja in a Tata Safari by Vikas Yadav, Vishal Yadav and their henchman Sukhdev Pehlwan.

Vikas allegedly hit Nitish with a hammer and then set him aflame after all three poured diesel over him.

The Motive: Vikas did not approve of the alleged romantic relationship his sister Bharti Yadav shared with Nitish Katara.

Three days later on February 2002, Nitish's mutilated body was recovered and his mother, Neelam Katara could identify him only through the wrist watch — which ironically was gifted to him by Bharti.

Neelam Katara registered an FIR against Vikas and Vishal Yadav in Ghaziabad but the duo evaded arrest for more than two months. They were finally arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Police on April 23, 2002 from Dabra in MP.

However, Vikas's father, D P Yadav — an alleged don and a politician — enjoyed considerable clout in Uttar Pradesh and Neelam Katara feared miscarriage of Justice in that state.

On her appeal, the Supreme Court transfered the case from Ghaziabad to Delhi on August 23, 2002.

But the battle was far from over as to prove the motive of the crime, Bharti Yadav's testimony was important. Inspite of repeated summons, Bharti refused to testify.

After a pitched legal battle, which lasted four years, the key witness in the case, Bharti Yadav, finally came to India and deposed in November 2006.

The details of the incamera proceedings are still classified but sources tell CNN-IBN that though Bharti denied plans of getting married to Nitish, she accepted that they were very close — a testimony which prosecution has used to bolster its case against Vikas Yadav.

The prosecution's story depended on two main witnesses, Bharti Yadav and Ajay Katara.

Bharti didn't support the prosecution's story completely and questions were raised about Ajay Katara's credibility too. However, it will be clear only on Wednesday if the evidence against Vikas and Vishal Yadav are enough to hold them guilty.

NITISH KATARA MURDER: THE CASE SO FAR
February 16-17, 2002: Nitish Katara was allegedly murdered by Vikas and Vishal Yadav, after being abducted from a marriage party in Ghaziabad during the night. Nitish was killed for his alleged affair with Vikas’s sister Bharati. Bharati Yadav, who was listed as prime witness by the persecution left for London soon after.
February 20, 2002: The body of Nitish Katara was discovered from village Khurja in Bulandshahr.
March 11, 2002: The Tata Safari used in the murder was recovered from G T Road, Karnal.
March 31, 2002: UP police filed a four page chargesheet.
April 23, 2002: Both the accused Vikas and Vishal Yadav were arrested from Madhya Pradesh.
November 23, 2002: Charges were framed against the three accused. A separate trial was started against a third accused in the case, Sukhdev Pehlwan, who was arrested in 2005. The trial in Sukhdev's case is at the stage of prosecution evidence.
August 23, 2002: The Supreme Court directed transfer of the Nitish Katara murder case from a Ghaziabad sessions court to a competent court of the same jurisdiction in Delhi.
November 25, 2006: Prime witness Bharti Yadav returns to India. The prosecution had wrapped up their final arguments in the case in December 2007.
April 2, 2008: Trial court begins hearing the Nitish Katara murder case on a day-to-day basis.
April 23, 2008: The trial in the Nitish Katara murder case came to an end.