Noting that it has the power to impose "special sentences," the Supreme Court on Monday confirmed its order awarding Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav's son, Vikas, 25 years' sentence without remission in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case.
A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C. Nagappan upheld that judicial precedents allowed it to expand jail sentences over above the statutory minimum and maximum sentences prescribed in law.
The Supreme Court said that all sentences would run concurrently.
The murder of the young Katara, an MBA graduate and the son of a senior Railway official, was considered an 'honour killing' to stop his relationship with Vikas's sister Bharti. The crime had raised a public cry for justice.
The Delhi High Court had termed the award of life term "simplicitor" to the convicts as inconsequential and enhanced the life term of Vikas and his cousin Vishal Yadav to 25 years' imprisonment without remission and an additional five years for destruction of evidence.
It awarded 25 years of incarceration to a third accused Sukhdev Pehelwan without the benefit of remission. On August 17, the Supreme Court had confirmed that the murder was “very well-planned”.
