Bharti's father D P Yadav was present inside the court of Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur as the deposition was held in-camera.
Updated at 10.50 pm
NEW DELHI: The much-awaited deposition of Bharti Yadav, key witness in the Nitish Katara murder case, took place in a Delhi court on Wednesday. Since her statement was recorded in camera, it is not confirmed what transpired behind closed doors. She, however, modified the version of her statement attributed to her by investigators, sources said.
Bharti is the only witness who, after the incident, had told police that she had last seen Nitish with her brothers, Vikash and Vishal. If Bharti has modified her earlier statement, as suspected, the prosecution will have to heavily rely on the unimpeachable material evidences like the e-mails and records of lengthy phone calls between her “good friend’’ Nitish, his mother Neelam Katara and brother Nitin, who said Bharati had gifted his late brother with a wrist watch. The deposition will continue on Thursday.
Neelam Katara as also Bharti’s private counsel, S C Bhuttan, remained tightlipped on the proceedings that were held ‘in camera’.
Earlier, the deposition took place amidst unprecedented security at Patiala House court. In a bid to avoid media glare, Bharti had entered the court early in the morning. Delhi police personnel manned all entry points to the court and even prevented the media from sneaking into the court premises.
There was a three-tier security replete with metal detectors and barricades. Gate number one at the Patiala House court was barricaded and visitors were requested to use the other gates. Everybody, including lawyers and petitioners, entering the premises had to undergo a rigorous security check. About a dozen police personnel were posted at the main entrance. The second security cover was on the way to the court of Additional Sessions judge Ravinder Kaur where Bharti deposed. The third layer was outside the court premises.
Neelam Katara, along with D P Yadav, father of Bharti Yadav and the main accused, Vikash, were present in the court. The recording of statement began at 10 am and continued till about 2 pm. Since no one was allowed to talk about the case, suspense prevailed whether the hearing was adjourned for another day or it continued for some time.
However, once it was clear that the hearing was adjourned for the day, shutterbugs crowded the gates to click Bharti. She managed to sneak through the back door, guarded by scores of DP Yadav supporters.
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