Supreme Court Acquits Final Convict in Nithari Killings Case
The Supreme Court of India has acquitted Surinder Koli, the last of two men previously convicted in connection with the Nithari killings, nearly 20 years after the discovery of 19 bodies, primarily those of women and children, near a bungalow in Noida. This acquittal concludes the judicial process in one of India's most significant criminal cases.
Case Background
In December 2006, police identified a bungalow in Noida, a suburb of Delhi, as the site associated with the killings and dismemberment of women and children. Moninder Singh Pandher, a businessman, and his servant, Surinder Koli, were arrested after body parts were found near their residence. The victims were predominantly from the neighboring Nithari slums, inhabited by migrant families. Both men were convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to death.
Judicial Process and Acquittals
Moninder Singh Pandher was acquitted in 2023 due to a lack of evidence. Surinder Koli's acquittal by the Supreme Court on November 12 follows previous acquittals in 12 of 13 cases against him. The court accepted his claim that his confession, which included admissions of cannibalism and necrophilia, was extracted under torture. The court noted the confession was recorded after 60 days in custody and appeared tutored, with a police investigator present during its recording.
Victims' Families Seek Answers
Following the acquittals, families of the victims have raised questions regarding the identity of the perpetrators. Two families remaining in Nithari expressed difficulty accepting the court's decision, questioning, "if Pandher and Koli didn't, then who killed our children?" Jhabbu Lal Kanaujia, whose 10-year-old daughter Jyoti was identified among the victims through DNA tests, articulated feelings of despair after Koli's acquittal. Mr. Kanaujia had actively pursued the case for years, collecting related documents, which he subsequently burned.
Criticism of Investigation
The Supreme Court order criticized the police and investigating agencies for conducting a flawed investigation marked by "negligence and delay." The court stated that the true offender had not been identified, and investigators had "opted for the easy course by implicating a poor servant of the house." The order also highlighted that investigators did not pursue leads such as an "organ-trade angle," which a governmental committee of the Ministry of Women and Child Development had flagged. Reports at the time had suggested the bodies were dismembered with surgical precision. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has not provided comment on the acquittal, and Uttar Pradesh state police have not responded to inquiries.
Historical Police Inaction
Parents of missing children previously reported instances of police inaction. Pappu Lal, whose eight-year-old daughter Rachna went missing in April 2006, stated that police initially suggested his daughter had eloped. His search concluded eight months later when Rachna's clothes and slippers were discovered near the bungalow. Following the discovery of remains in 2006, residents confronted police, leading to the transfer of two senior officials and the suspension of six policemen before the case was transferred to federal investigators. Residents and a former local welfare association president have expressed a loss of faith in the criminal justice system, citing that the children, primarily from impoverished families, were not taken seriously by authorities until the discovery of human remains.