Butchers of Nithari guilty; teen was raped, killed, eaten

In the first of the Nithari case judgments, a special CBI court convicted businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and his domestic help Surendra Koli for raping and killing 14-year-old Rimpa Haldar, reports Abhishek Sharan. Koli's confession

Four years after 14-year-old domestic help Rimpa Halder was sexually assaulted, killed and cannibalised at Nithari in Noida, a special court convicted domestic help Surendra Koli and his employer Moninder Singh Pandher.

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On Thursday the court convicted Koli of kidnapping, attempt to rape and murder. Koli's confession

When the court pronounced Pandher guilty of being part of the conspiracies behind the attempted rape and murder, the Noida machine dealer began sobbing uncontrollably. His son Karandeep and wife Davinder embraced him.

The verdict is the first of the 19 cases of rape and murder including 15 children and three women of what has come to be known as the Nithari killings case.

The quantum of punishment will be decided on Friday. CBI counsel JP Sharma has asked for “maximum punishment” upto death for Koli. Pandher can face the same punishment.

The verdict was based on forensic and corroborative evidence submitted by the CBI. The court also considered Koli’s voluntary confession in March 2007 before then Delhi additional chief metropolitan magistrate Chandrashekhar (recorded in writing and then on video).

Koli had admitted to having lured Halder inside Pandher’s bungalow (D-5, sector 31).

Koli also admitted to hacking her body with a “strong” kitchen knife (and an axe) in his bathroom before eating cooked portions from the victim’s breast and an arm.