Nitish Katara case: accused gets bail for mother's last rites

"Accused/applicant Sukhdev Pehalwan is granted interim bail for a period of four days from November 24 to 27 for performing the 'shradh' (last rites) of his mother who passed away on November 10 at his native place in Uttar Pradesh," Additional Sessions Judge J R Aryan said.The court, which said the Hindu customs require the presence of the son during the 'shradh', asked the accused to furnish a personal and two surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each as a pre-condition for grant of bail.

It said one of the sureties must belong to the national capital who can gurantee that he would surrender on the expiry of his bail period.Earlier, the accused, in his application, had sought the interim bail for 15 days to perform the 'shradh'.

The court is hearing arguments in the 8-year-old murder case against Pehalwan, the third accused besides Vikas and his cousin Vishal Yadav.Pehalwan is standing trial separately from Vikas and Vishal as he had absconded after the incident and was arrested in 2005.
A Delhi court had earlier awarded rigorous life imprisonment to Vikas and Vishal for their role in the murder of Nitish, a business executive.

The Yadavs have filed appeals in the Delhi High Court against their conviction in the case.
According to the prosecution, Pehalwan was present with the accused Yadavs in their car after they had abducted Nitish from a marriage function in Ghaziabad and killed him on the night of February 16, 2002.The Yadavs did not approve the affair of their sister Bharti Yadav with Nitish