Delhi HC denies furlough to Vikas Yadav in murder case

Delhi High Court dismissed Vikas Yadav's plea for furlough, citing his murder conviction and lack of eligibility for remission.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed Nitish Katara murder case convict Vikas Yadav’s plea seeking three weeks’ furlough to maintain social ties, holding that jail authorities’ decision to deny release was neither arbitrary nor illegal.

Yadav has also filed a separate petition seeking release.

A bench of Justice Ravinder Dudeja said the rejection of Yadav’s furlough request did not suffer from “arbitrariness, illegality, or any violation of constitutional rights”. “In view of the above, this court finds no arbitrariness, illegality, or violation of constitutional rights in the order dated October 29 or the corrigendum dated December 1, 2025. The petition is accordingly dismissed,” the court said in its 22-page verdict.

The court noted that Yadav stands convicted of murder and is serving 25 years of actual imprisonment without remission, a sentence upheld by the Supreme Court. It also rejected his claim of parity with co-convict Sukhdev, who was granted furlough by the Supreme Court in June 2025. “The Supreme Court, while granting furlough to the co- convict, specifically took note of the fact that he had completed the full period of incarceration… In these circumstances, the principle of parity cannot be invoked by the present petitioner, as his mandatory requirement of 25 years of actual imprisonment remains unfulfilled,” the order said.

Yadav had challenged jail authorities’ October 29, 2025 decision denying furlough, arguing through senior advocate Vikas Pahwa that the refusal was arbitrary. He cited earlier interim bail granted by the Supreme Court for his mother’s treatment and his marriage, and said he had been in custody for 23 years without furlough. He claimed eligibility under Rule 1223 of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, and sought time with his wife after his recent marriage.

Delhi Police, represented by special prosecutor Rajesh Mahajan along with advocate Jyoti Babbar, and Neelam Katara, represented by advocate Vrinda Bhandari, opposed the plea, citing the gravity of the offence, risk of flight, and lack of remission eligibility. Mahajan argued that furlough prerequisites could not apply as Yadav’s sentence bars remission. Bhandari said his record showed misuse of judicial processes and lack of reform.

Yadav has also filed a separate petition seeking release. Nitish Katara was abducted and killed in February 2002.