Friday, October 7 2005 18:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today (Oct 7, 2005) issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh police on a bail application filed by former Rajya Sabha MP D P Yadav's son Vikas Yadav, who is in jail in connection with the Nitish Katara murder case.

Justice R S Sodhi, who granted bail to Vikas' cousin brother Vishal in the case yesterday (Oct 6, 2005), asked the police to file their reply by November 21, the next date of hearing.

Prime accused Vikas has sought his release on bail on the ground that co-accused Vishal has already been enlarged on bail.

Justice Sodhi had ordered the release of Vishal on his furnishing a personal bond of Rs five lakh and two sureties of the same amount.

The court had asked him not to leave the country without prior permission of the trial court and not to contact or influence any witness, including his cousin sister Bharati Yadav.

The court had observed that the case was based on circumstantial evidence wherein the prosecution had already closed its evidence and there was no end of the trial in sight.

Katara, a business executive, was allegedly kidnapped and murdered on the intervening night of February 16-17, 2002 from Ghaziabad where he had gone to attend a marriage.

The case was transferred to Delhi on Supreme Court's direction as the victim's mother had expressed apprehension that she would not get a fair trial in the Ghaziabad court.