New Delhi: A Delhi court today deferred
hearing final arguments in the eight-year-old Nitish Katara
murder case against Sukhdev Pehalwan, third accused besides
Vikas and Vishal Yadav, as the defence counsel did not appear.
"Put the matter on September 20 for advancing of
remaining arguments as the counsel for accused, Sushil Bajaj,
was not available today," Additional Sessions Judge J R Aryan
said.
The court is hearing arguments on behalf of the accused
as special prosecutor B S Joon has already concluded his
submissions saying, "there was clinching evidence to prove
the complicity of Sukhdev Pehalwan in the murder."
"The fact the present accused absconded for nearly three
years would go against him," the prosecutor had said.
Since this case was widely covered in the media, the
accused cannot take the plea that he was not aware of the fact
that he was an accused in the case, he had said.
Pehalwan is standing trial separately from Vikas and
Vishal Yadav as he absconded after the incident and was
arrested in 2005.
A Delhi court had earlier awarded rigorous life term to
Vikas and his cousin Vishal Yadav 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
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.
-PTI
