17 Years After Chilling Murders, Nithari Accused Acquitted In All Cases

The Allahabad High Court today acquitted the prime accused in infamous Nithari killings, Surinder Koli, in 12 cases in which he was handed death penalty by a trial court.

Moninder Singh's Pandher, the co-accused in the case, has also been acquitted in two cases.

The death sentences of both Koli and Pandher stand cancelled after the big high court verdict.

The serial killings took place at Moninder Singh Pandher's home in Nithari area of Uttar Pradesh's Noida between 2005 and 2006.

Surinder Koli worked as a help at Pandher's home.

In a case that horrified India, Surinder Koli was found guilty of rape and murder of several children at his employer's house. The duo were also convicted for rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman.

The case came to light after the neighbours found body part of a missing child in a drain near Pandher's home.

Investigation then led the police to a series of gruesome murders of several more children.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed 19 cases against Pandher and Koli in 2007.

Of these 19 cases, the central investigative agency had later filed a closure report in 3 cases due to lack of evidence.

Surinder Koli was awarded death penalty by the trial court in 12 cases, and Pandher in 2 cases.

Koli would lure the children into the house, where he and Pandher raped and murdered them, it's alleged.