In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has scheduled a hearing on July 30 to address appeals against the acquittal of Surendra Koli in the infamous 2006 Nithari serial killings. The hearing will be presided over by a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih.
The appeals emerged in response to the Allahabad High Court’s controversial decision on October 16, 2023, which acquitted Koli of all charges related to the case. This decision has since been challenged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Uttar Pradesh government, as well as by the families of the victims.
During Tuesday’s session, the counsel for one of the petitioners described the Nithari case as a “dastardly crime” highlighted by the grim discovery of skeletal remains of numerous children. In contrast, Koli’s defense argued the evidence against him was purely circumstantial, noting the absence of any direct witnesses.
Acknowledging the complexity and likely duration of the upcoming arguments, Justice Gavai remarked, “It (arguments) is not likely to be over today,” prompting the decision to postpone the matter to the end of July.
The case traces back to December 29, 2006, when the skeletal remains of eight children were unearthed from a drain near the residence of Moninder Singh Pandher in Noida, a suburb adjoining Delhi. Subsequent excavations in nearby drains revealed more remains, mostly those of children and young women who had vanished in the vicinity.
Koli, who worked as Pandher’s domestic help, was initially sentenced to death by a trial court on September 28, 2010. However, the high court later overturned this decision, citing a “botched up” investigation that failed to conclusively prove guilt “beyond reasonable doubt.” This acquittal sparked outrage and led to the current appeals.
The high court’s ruling reversed the death sentence in 12 cases against Koli and two against Pandher, emphasizing the investigation’s failure as a “betrayal of public trust by responsible agencies.” Despite this, Koli was acquitted in only three of the 16 remaining cases, with one death sentence being commuted to life imprisonment.
