Supreme Court Reviews Acquittal of Surendra Koli in Nithari Killings

The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice on an appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of Surendra Koli, who was accused in the 2005-06 Noida Nithari killings.

Background

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan issued the notice to Koli and others, tagging the matter with another pending case. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, argued that Koli was a serial killer who lured and killed young girls. He described the killings as ‘gruesome’ and mentioned accusations of cannibalism. The trial court had initially sentenced Koli to death, but this was overturned by the Allahabad High Court.

Previous Court Decisions

Earlier, the Supreme Court had sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government and others on an appeal by Pappu Lal, the father of one of the victims, challenging the High Court’s acquittal of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and Koli. In October last year, the Allahabad High Court acquitted Pandher and Koli in some cases related to the Nithari killings, overturning their death penalties.

Details of the Case

The CBI had registered 16 cases against Koli and Pandher for the rape and murder of girls, which shocked the nation when skeletons were found in a drain near Pandher’s house in Nithari village, Noida, in December 2006. Koli was accused in all cases on charges including murder, abduction, rape, and destruction of evidence, while Pandher was named in six cases. Koli was convicted and sentenced to death in more than 10 cases.