Date:28/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/28/stories/2005012814030400.htm

New Delhi

A new twist to Katara case

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 27. The Public Prosecutor (PP) in the Nitish Katara murder case today informed a court here that Bharti Yadav was not interested in deposing in the case as a prosecution witness.

The PP, K.K. Singh, told the Additional Sessions Judge, D.S. Panwaria, that he had talked to her over phone whether she would come to India and record his evidence in the court. Her reply was that she was not interest in coming to the country and depose in the case, Mr. Singh added.

Ms. Bharti, daughter of the former Rajya Sabha MP and an important prosecution witness in the case, is at present staying in London and doing some professional course.

Taking the submission by the PP on record, Mr. Panwaria directed him to execute the non-bailable arrest warrant issued against Ms. Bharti by the court last year.

When the PP submitted that the Indian High Commission in Britain had sought eight more weeks to execute the warrant, Mr. Panwaria gave time till March 30 to serve the same on Ms. Bharti.

Mr. Panwaria had earlier dismissed an application seeking recall of the warrant saying that the ground for challenging the issuance of the NBW had no lawful backing.

He had then directed the prosecution to serve the NBW on January 18.

The prosecution accuses Ms. Bharti of avoiding her appearance before the trial court to record her statement in the case.

The prosecution believes that her examination will help unravel the motive behind the killing of Nitish Katara, son of a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.