CBI may challenge Koli acquittal, not Pandher's

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will challenge the Allahabad high court’s acquittal of Noida resident Surinder Koli in a raft of cases linked to the grisly 2006 murders in Nithari of at least 19 victims, women and young children among them, officials familiar with the development said, adding that the grounds for appeal are being studied.

- Neeraj Chauhan

A two-judge bench of the high court last month acquitted Koli, 42, in 12 cases and his employer Moninder Singh Pandher, 65,in two cases, slamming the shoddy investigation that appeared to have hobbled the prosecution.

CBI officials said the challenge will be against Koli’s acquittal only, and not against Pandher since the evidence against him was weak.The CBI had never charged Pandher for the murders; only for immoral trafficking in one of the 16 cases. He was summoned as accused along with Koli by the court in five cases. Both were eventually awarded death sentences.

“We will appeal against the acquittal of Surinder Koli by the Allahabad high court. There is substantial evidence that he was involved in the murders of children and women. The judgment is being studied by our investigators and legal team,” said a senior CBI officer, who didn’t want to be named.