Prosecution counters defence arguments

Chief public prosecutor in the case, BS Joon, says the court that the objections raise by the defense are void of any material evidence. Naziya Alvi reports.

Coming a step closer to the final verdict, the prosecution in the Nitish Katara murder case on Monday countered the defense allegations in the rebuttal filed before the court.

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Chief Public prosecutor in the case BS Joon told the court that the objections raised by the defense are void of any material evidence. The defense had largely questioned the way the police had made recovery of a hammer, a wristwatch and a Tata Sumo car allegedly used for the crime.

The defence had also questioned as to why the police delayed recording of statements of a few witnesses especially that of the most crucial witness Ajay Katara. Nitish was allegedly killed by Vikas and Vishal Yadav, son and nephew of former Rajya Sabha MP, D.P. Yadav on the intervening night of February 16-17. The two were allegedly averse to Nitish’s relationship with their sister Bharti Yadav.

Countering the allegations Joon submitted several apex court judgments and said, “The accused cannot take benefit of the fact that witness Ajay Katara (who testified that he had seen the victim with accused on the fateful night) approached Police after one month”.

“DP Yadav, father of accused Vikas, was an influential MP at that time. Delay in recording statements of witnesses in such cases was justified as nobody wants to come forward to depose,” Joon added. He also told the court that there were 29 FIRs against DP Yadav and stressed that the harassment of Ajay Katara began just after he approached Uttar Pradesh Police for recording his statement in the case.

The defence counsel vehemently opposed the prosecutor’s statement saying it amounted to “character assassination”. “My statement is based on credible inputs, received from Uttar Pradesh Police,” Joon replied.