Nithari case: Allahabad HC reserves order on accused’s plea against death penalty

Nithari murders were committed between 2005 and 2006. The matter came to light when in December 2006 skeletons were found in a drain near a house in Nithari village of Noida

The Allahabad high court on Thursday (September 14) reserved its judgment after completion of arguments in the appeal filed by Surinder Koli, the accused in the 2005-2006 Noida serial murders or Nithari case of Noida. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice SAH Rizvi reserved the judgment in the appeal filed in 2010 by Surendra Koli challenging capital punishment awarded to him in one of the cases.

Surendra Koli, one of the main accused in the case, had filed an appeal in 2010 challenging capital punishment awarded to him. (For Representation)

The court in its order observed, “Arguments on the scientific evidence have been advanced through virtual mode by Ms. Manisha Bhandari, learned counsel for the appellant-Moninder Singh Pandher and Ms. Payoshi Roy, learned counsel for the appellant-Surendra Koli. Detailed arguments on all other aspects have otherwise been advanced on behalf of the appellants and the C.B.I. Judgment reserved.”

To recall, Nithari murders were committed between 2005 and 2006. The matter came to light when in December 2006, skeletons were found in a drain near a house in Nithari village of Noida. Later, it was found that Moninder Singh Pandher was the owner of the house and Koli was his domestic help.

Subsequently, the CBI, which was investigating the case, registered 16 cases, charge sheeting Surinder Koli in all of them for murders, abductions and rapes besides destruction of evidence, and Pandher in one for immoral trafficking. Surinder Koli was found guilty of rapes and murders of several girls and was sentenced to death in over 10 cases.