The Hindu : New Delhi News : Bharti Yadav moves High Court for passport

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 13, 2006
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

Bharti Yadav moves High Court for passport

Staff Reporter

MEA had revoked her passport

NEW DELHI : Bharti Yadav, a key witness in the Nitish Katara murder case, on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to issue a new passport to her to enable her to come to India and depose.

Ms. Bharti is now in London purportedly pursuing a professional course. She gave an undertaking to a trial court here last week that she would come to India on November 25 to record her evidence in the case. Following her undertaking, Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur fixed November 25 as the date for conducting further trial proceedings in the case.

The MEA had earlier this week informed the trial court that it would not issue a fresh passport to her. Counsel for the Ministry submitted that the Ministry would issue an emergency certificate to her to facilitate her return to India to record her evidence.

The MEA's refusal came following a request to the court by Ms. Bharti. Earlier, the MEA had revoked her passport on a request by the prosecution when she failed to appear in the court to record her statement, despite summons and a non-bailable arrest warrant. Justice A.K. Sikri of the High Court would on Thursday take up her application for consideration.

Vikas Yadav and Vishal Yadav, brother and cousin respectively of Ms. Bharti, are facing trial in the case for allegedly kidnapping Nitish Katara, son of a former IAS officer here, and later killing him because they were allegedly against their sister having an affair with the deceased.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi