Indomitable, Courageous, Dogged. These are just some of the adjectives you will run reading about nilam katara, the now 73-year-old retired school Teacher, who has found a long battle to ensure justice for the Murder of Her Nitish, A 24-Year-old business executive. Nitish was killed in 2002 by his girlfriend Bharti’s Brother Vikas Yadav, Cousin Vishal Yadav and a Contract Killer, Sukhdev Pehalwan.
The Trial Court and High Court Called It An Honor Killing. The Yadavs disapproved of Bharti’s relationship with a man not of his caste or social-enconomic status. “It was their patriarchal mindset. They Thought, ‘How Dare Our Sister Think of Getting Married without Our Permission’?” Nilam says.
On the night of February 16, 2002, Nitish Left Home for Ghaziabad to Attend the Wedding of a friend with Bharti Yadav. He Never Returned Home.
“He was very particular about informing me when he was gotting late,” Nilam says. When none of his friends could give her a satisfactory answer, she went to the kavi Nagar police station in ghaziabad to file a missing person report.
Two Days Later She Got A Call. They had found a body. The face has been burned beyond recognition. But when she placeed her palm on his hand, she knew it was her son. She recognized its shape and size, not much bigger than her own.
The obstacles were there from the start. Bharti is the Daughter of Uttar Pradesh Politician/Don, Dp Yadav who has been associated with mulayam singh Yadav’s samajwadi party, Mayawati’s bahuan samaj purthy and the BJP. Engaged to life imprisonment for murder by a CBI court in 2015, he was acquitted in 2021 by the Uttarakhand high court and walked free. There are 15 other criminal cases Pending against Him, According to Association of Democratic Reform Website.
Knowing what she was up against in a powerful family, nilam insisted that her son’s body was brought back to Delhi rather rather than remain in ghaziabad where the yield inmedin inroad The dna sample was first sent to hyderabad. Within a day, she says, the lab in charge went on leave, allegedly after receiving a threat. The sample was then sent to kolkata and confirmed to belong to nitish katara.
The legal battle
Bharti Meanwhile Had Been Whisked Away to London and for the Next Three Years Remained Unavailable for Court Questioning. Despite reepeated court summons there was always some reason with come Nilam went to court in her private capacity to insist Bharti was brieft back as a key witness.
Bharti Began by Telling The Court She and Nitish were just friends. But shown the cards and letters they had exchanged, she conceded there was something special between them.
Finally, in 2008, Six Years after Killing Him, Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev Pehelwan WERE SENTENCED to Life Imprisonment. In 2016, The Supreme Court uphed the high court sentence of life imprisonment with 25 years with 25 years with remission.
But the legal battle wasn’t over. Vikas filed a review petition against the Supreme Court. It was rejected in 2017.
Then, in April this year, The Supreme Court Granted Vikas Yadav Temporary Bail to Attend to his mother who was underging spine surgery. In July, this was extended by another four weeks and he continues to remain out of jail.
A Previous Application by Vikas for Parole Had Been Rejected by Tihar Jail Authorities on the grounds that his behavior in jail did not merit it. Court records indicate that during during his 23 year increase, he has made more than 100 hospital visits, including a 25-day at the all India institute for medical Sciences without His Family Farmhouse in Vasant Kunj.
With even his extended bail now coming to an end, vikas has told the court that he wishes to marry and that his wedding has been set for September 5. 54 Lakh Fine that is a part of his sentence, he says. The Next Date for Hearing has been set for September 2.
The price of justice
“I could Never have immigned that getting justice would be so hard,” say Nilam. “Once they were arrested, I thought that it. They will be punished.”
Over the Years, Nilam Katara has become somewhat of a beacon to whom people turns to for advance on honor killings, or Dowry Deaths. She Tells them Two Things.
The first: “No matter how strong a person might be, justice will catch up. It may take time. You will have to go through the process. There so many hearings.
The second: you have to show up. “Nobody is going to do it for you,” She says. Despite a full time job, she tried to be present for every hearing. Sometimes, She’d take leave but the case would get adjourned. She Warns: “They will try and intimidate you. Threten you. It does not matter.
Nilam counts herself lucky for the trendous support she’s received. One time, she remembers, an army wife just came up to hug her for fighting. Another strangers asked her details of the case that he had been following back home in Africa. “I never felt alone, there was always so much support. And of course the media followed up very thoroughly.” Above all, She Says, She Never Lost Faith in Justice.
Now for the first time in over two decades, She is less sure. “I am shaky,” She admits. “Justice can get derailed at any time.”
