Supreme Court Grants Holi Furlough To Vikas Yadav In Nitish Katara Murder Case

The bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Vipul M. Pancholi permitted Yadav’s release on furlough till March 7, noting that he has already undergone 23 years of incarceration.

“Furlough is now sought on the ground that he wishes to spend time during Holi. Without going into the merits, we permit the petitioner to be released on furlough till March 7,” the Bench said in its order.

During the hearing, the court rejected objections raised by the complainant’s counsel opposing the grant of furlough. The bench questioned the resistance to the plea, observing, “You want to hang him? Is it? What is the point of hearing you in this matter? After 23 years, you don't want to let things go. We need to let things go.”

Justice Sundresh also orally observed that temporary release in appropriate cases can aid in the reformation of a convict, underlining the reformative philosophy embedded in criminal jurisprudence.

The order comes weeks after the Delhi High Court, on February 11, dismissed Yadav’s plea seeking 21 days’ furlough. The High Court had held that he was convicted for “grave offences” and was “statutorily ineligible” for furlough under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018. It had also found no arbitrariness, illegality or violation of constitutional rights in the October 29, 2025 decision of jail authorities rejecting his application.

Yadav had challenged the authorities’ decision before the High Court, contending that he was entitled to furlough as a long-term prisoner who had served a substantial part of his sentence.

Furlough is a temporary release granted to a convict after serving a specified portion of the sentence. It does not amount to suspension, remission or commutation of the sentence but is intended to enable prisoners to maintain social ties and facilitate reintegration into society.

Notably, in September 2025, the High Court had dismissed his plea for an extension of interim bail, saying it was not maintainable. The Supreme Court had earlier granted him interim bail to care for his ailing mother, which he later sought to extend citing his marriage. The Delhi High Court had upheld their conviction and imposed a 30-year sentence without remission. In 2016, the Supreme Court modified it to 25 years without remission.

Vikas Yadav, son of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav, was convicted in the sensational kidnapping and murder of Nitish Katara, who was abducted from a marriage party on the intervening night of February 16 and 17, 2002. Katara was allegedly targeted due to his relationship with Bharti Yadav, Vikas Yadav’s sister, as the families reportedly disapproved of the inter-caste relationship.

In October 2016, the Supreme Court had sentenced Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav to 25 years’ imprisonment without remission for their roles in the crime. Co-convict Sukhdev Yadav was awarded a 20-year jail term.

The Court had at the time underscored the gravity of the offence, describing it as a crime driven by social prejudice and honour-based motives.

While granting furlough, the Bench clarified that it was not entering into the merits of the conviction or sentence, but merely allowing temporary release considering the period of incarceration already undergone.