Supreme Court Grants Vikas Yadav Furlough in Nitish Katara Murder Case

In a significant development, the Supreme Court has permitted Vikas Yadav, currently serving a 25-year sentence for the 2002 murder of Nitish Katara, to be released on furlough. This decision was made by the bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan and grants Yadav a temporary reprieve from May 12 to May 22, 2026.

The court's approval takes into consideration Yadav's adherence to past furlough conditions, compelling him to report back to prison by 5:00 pm on May 22, 2026. Yadav's legal team argued that the furlough would also allow him to devote time to family, particularly since he got married last year, as he approaches the end of his full sentence period in May 2027.

Furlough, distinct from sentence remission, is a temporary release to facilitate long-term inmates, addressing personal matters or rehabilitation objectives. Vikas Yadav's conviction dates back to 2008 when a trial court found him guilty of murdering business executive Nitish Katara, due to Katara's relationship with Yadav's sister, Bharti Yadav, amidst a backdrop of familial and political tensions.

(With inputs from agencies.)