"I do not know Nitish Katara, the deceased," said Yadav, on being shown some group photographs, taken during a marriage ceremony of one Shivani Gaur, a common friend of Bharti and Katara.

The prosecution alleged that the victim was kidnapped from the marriage place by Yadavs and later killed.

Recording his statement before Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur, he said "I had no reason to oppose her (Bharti Yadav) plan to marry Katara."

He was replying to a question by the court that his maternal uncle and Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav and his cousin and co-accused Vikas were averse to Bharti's plan to marry Katara.

However, Yadav admitted that he along with Vikas had attended the marrigae ceremony of Shivani, held on the intervening night of February 16 and 17 in 2002 at Diamond Palace in Ghaziabad, the place where the victim was last seen before his kidnapping and murder.

The question, regarding Vikas's alleged statement to a news channel, that a minor altercation with the victim had ensued on the fateful night, received opposition from Vishal's counsel.

On this, the court said Vishal's response to the query would be sought after he will be shown the video footage.

The recording of his statement under section 313 of the CrPC, which entitles accused to defend themselves, was inconclusive and would continue on Wednesday.

Earlier, the court had wrapped up the recording of deposition of prosecution evidence with the examination of 43 witnesses.

Vikas and Vishal Yadav are accused of kidnapping and murdering Nitish, a business executive and son of a former bureaucrat, from a marriage party in Ghaziabad on the intervening night of February 16 and 17, 2002.

Investigation Officer, Anil Samania of UP police was the last prosecution witness to record his statement in the case.