Tihar spent Rs 22 lakh to keep an eye on Vikas, Vishal

The Delhi High Court on Friday came down heavily on Tihar Jail authorities for not taking any step against Nitish Katara murder case convicts Vikas and Vishal Yadav's numerous "unwarranted" visits to various hospitals from jail and their long stays there.

The Delhi High Court on Friday came down heavily on Tihar Jail authorities for not taking any step against Nitish Katara murder case convicts Vikas and Vishal Yadav's numerous "unwarranted" visits to various hospitals from jail and their long stays there.

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Tihar jail authorities submitted in an affidavit that Rs 22 lakh had been spent as salary for guards to keep an eye on Vikas and Vishal during their hospital visits in the past three years.

They have already admitted that Vishal altogether spent nine months in various prestigious hospitals after his conviction in 2008.

"From the affidavit, it is noted that Vishal remained hospitalised at Batra hospital for nearly three-and-half months for nothing and you (jail authorities) did not take any action," said a bench of justices Gita Mittal and V K Shali.

The bench queried if all the convicts were being taken to Batra hospital for various ailments and "why the preferential treatment to Vikas and Vishal".

The court is hearing a case where Victim Nitish's mother Neelam Katara sought a probe into "preferential treatment" to Vikas and Vishal.

The court meanwhile took on records health reports filed by AIIMS following the examination of Vikas and Vishal by a medical board as per the court's earlier direction.