A twist in the Nithari killings saga: The Supreme Court has acknowledged the Central Bureau of Investigation’s plea challenging the acquittal of Surendra Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher. Last October, the Allahabad High Court had overturned their death sentences, sparking widespread debate.
In October 2023, the Allahabad High Court had stunned many by acquitting Koli and Pandher, initially sentenced to death by the Trial Court. The grisly Nithari case broke open when skeletons surfaced in a drain near Pandher’s house in Noida’s Nithari village. Following Koli’s confession, a macabre discovery ensued as children’s bodies were unearthed from the surrounding land.
Moninder Singh Pandher, the homeowner, and Surendra Koli, his domestic worker, found themselves entangled in a web of heinous accusations. The First Information Report (FIR) pinned Koli for murder, abduction, rape, and destruction of evidence, while Pandher faced charges of immoral trafficking. Allegations painted Koli as a monstrous figure who raped and dismembered several girls, discarding their remains in the backyard.
The Supreme Court’s Division Bench of BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, JJ., has now issued notice on the CBI’s appeal, setting the stage for a critical examination of justice in this harrowing case.
