New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 29) set July 30 to hear pleas challenging the order of the Allahabad High Court acquitting domestic help Surendra Koli in the 2006 Nithari serial killings case in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
A bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih set July 30 to hear the matter after it observed that the arguments was not likely to be over today.
“It (arguments) is not likely to be over today,” the bench observed after it inquired with the lawyers on the time to argue the matter.
Apex court last year agreed to examine pleas against acquittal of Koli
The apex court last year agreed to examine separate pleas, including separate pleas filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the state government of Uttar Pradesh, challenging the High Court verdict acquitting Koli on October 16, 2023. The father of one of the victims has also challenged the High Court order acquitting Koli.
Moninder Singh Pandher and Koli, Pandher’s domestic help, were accused of rape and murder of several persons, mostly children, in their neighbourhood in Nithari.
High Court in October 2023 acquitted Koli in 12 cases and Pandher in two cases
The High Court in October 2023 acquitted Koli in 12 cases and Pandher in two cases in which they were awarded death sentence by the Ghaziabad trial court, saying the prosecution failed to prove their guilt “beyond reasonable doubt”.
Investigation was botched up, High Court had said while allowing multiple appeals filed by Koli, Pandher
The High Court, while allowing multiple appeals filed by Koli and Pandher against the death penalty awarded to them by a Ghaziabad trial court, had also said that the investigation in the case was botched up.
There were allegations of sexual assault, brutal murder and possible cannibalism in Nithari serial killings
19 cases were registered against Pandher and Koli in 2007 and they were charged with rape and murder. The case came to light following recovery of the skeletal remains of several children from a drain behind the house of Pandher in Nithari in Noida. There were allegations of sexual assault, brutal murder and possible cannibalism in the case.
The case was initially investigated by the Noida Police, however, it was later transferred to the CBI.
