Nithari Killings: Surender Kohli To Walk Out Of Jail After Acquittal In Last Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed a curative petition filed by Surendra Koli, who was accused in the Nithari murder cases, challenging his conviction and death sentence. With this, Koli will walk out of jail as he had already been acquitted in all other cases.

The order was passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath.

"The curative petition is allowed," Justice Vikram Nath said.

The Nithari killings came to light in 2006 when human remains were found in a drain outside a home in Noida. The case involved the killings of several children and young women and included horrifying claims of rape, cannibalism, and neglect, capturing public attention.

Koli, a domestic worker, and his employer, Mohinder Singh Pandher, were initially convicted in the case. A total of 19 cases were lodged against the two in 2007. The CBI filed closure reports in three cases because of insufficient evidence. Koli was found not guilty in three of the 16 remaining cases, and his death sentence in one case was changed to life imprisonment.

In 2015, the Allahabad High Court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment due to an inordinate delay in the decision on his mercy petition. In 2023, the court acquitted Koli and co-accused Pandher, stating that the prosecution had not proven their guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt" and described the investigation as "botched up."

The CBI and the victims' families later challenged these acquittals before the Supreme Court, but the top court dismissed all 14 appeals on July 30 this year.