With 15 lawyers, Koli is well-defended

When The Nithari murders came to light, there was national outrage and the main accused, Surinder Koli, was caught in a precarious situation.

When The Nithari murders came to light, there was national outrage and the main accused, Surinder Koli, was caught in a precarious situation.

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An angry mob, which allegedly included lawyers, assaulted him and the co-accused, MS Pandher, inside the court complex. Lawyers in Noida and Ghaziabad, refused to represent Koli, although there was no formal resolution to this effect by the local bar association. Even ‘legal aid’ lawyers (appointed by the court) were apprehensive of taking up the brief.

As a consequence, the trial could not commence for full two months. But now, 15 lawyers on the legal aid panel are defending the same Koli. One each for the number of rape-and-murder cases against him.

Kalu Ram, a lawyer appearing for Koli, said, “I took up the case when the court asked me to, as I was on the panel of the legal services authority.”