The Supreme Court has consented to review the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal against the Allahabad High Court’s decision, which acquitted Surendra Koli of his involvement in the gruesome 2006 Nithari serial killings. Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan will consider the plea alongside other related petitions against the high court’s October 16, 2024, acquittal.
Previously, on July 19, the apex court agreed to entertain separate petitions by the CBI and the Uttar Pradesh government, challenging the high court’s ruling. The court had issued notices and requested a response from Koli, marking a significant step in the long-standing judicial proceedings.
The controversy stems from a series of horrific events that came to light in December 2006 when skeletal remains were found near Moninder Singh Pandher’s residence in Nithari, Noida. This led to widespread outrage and an intense investigation. Pandher and Koli, his domestic help, were accused of rape, murder, and potentially cannibalistic acts. Initially, while Koli received the death penalty from a sessions court in 2010, Pandher was acquitted.
However, the high court later overturned these decisions for both individuals, citing a failure by the prosecution to conclusively prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and criticizing the investigation as a betrayal of public trust.
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In total, 19 cases were filed against Pandher and Koli in 2007, with the CBI later filing closure reports in three due to insufficient evidence. Of the remaining cases, Koli was acquitted in three, and his death sentence in one case was commuted to life imprisonment.
