New Delhi, June 26 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the release of Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan, convicted of murder in the Nitish Katara case, on a three-month furlough and directed the trial court to ensure adequate protection for Yadav and a prime witness in the case, while setting conditions for his release.

The order was issued on an appeal filed by Pehelwan, after the Delhi high court refused him a three-week furlough on November 24, 2024. Furlough is a right available to prisoners, which allows them limited time away from prison to maintain social ties and reintegrate with society.

Dealing with the fresh application moved by the convict, a bench of justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran, sitting during the partial co...