Nithari Murders: Allahabad High Court Acquits Surinder Koli, Moninder Pandher

Surinder Koli & Moninder Pandher had been accused of raping and killing several children from 2005-06.

Surendra Koli (left) and Mohinder Pandher.

(Photo: PTI)

The Allahabad High Court on Monday, 16 October, acquitted the main accused in the 2005-06 Nithari killings, Surinder Koli, in 12 cases due to lack of evidence.

Koli's employer, Moninder Singh Pandher, was also acquitted in two cases. Further, the death sentence handed out to the accused persons was set aside.

Nithari murders case: Koli and Pandher had been convicted of the rape and murder of several children. The killings allegedly took place at Pandher's home in Noida's Nithari area between 2005 and 2006.

Koli worked as a domestic help at Pandher's home, which had been dubbed as the "house of horrors" after the case came to the fore. Koli would allegedly lure children into the house, and then he and Pandher would allegedly rape and murder them.

The police said that the accused would then chop up the bodies of the children and throw them in drains in an attempt to destroy evidence.

A total of 19 cases had been filed against them over the serial killings.