CBI close to solving Nithari jigsaw

CBI says most of the murders seem to have been committed by one of the two accused, reports Tushar Srivastava.

Most of the Nithari murders appear to have been committed by one of the two men accused and arrested in the case, according to Vijay Shanker, the head of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

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Shanker told reporters on Friday the agency had “unravelled the crime and its perpetrators to a great extent” and all that was needed now was the scientific evidence to connect the accused to the crime in court.

“It appears that most of the murders were committed by one of the two accused all by himself. We are harnessing every input we have,” the CBI director said, without specifying if it was businessman Moninder Singh Pandher or his servant Surendra Koli. CBI sources, however, said that Shanker was referring to Koli.

Describing the case as “exceptional”, Shanker said he was satisfied with the pace of the investigation. “What we need now is corroborative evidence, which is only possible through forensic tests and scientific aides,” he added, noting there were no witnesses to the crime.

“Our endeavour is to finish the investigation as soon as possible and prepare the chargesheet of the case within 90 days,” Shanker said.

The CBI director said the murders — of an unspecified number of women and children — were premeditated and committed “to derive sadistic pleasure”.

Pandher and Koli were arrested after human remains were found near Pandher’s Noida home in December.

Email Tushar Srivastava: tushar@hindustantimes.com