Retraction by Nithari witness not to affect case: CBI

New Delhi, Nov 17: The CBI has said the retraction by father of one of the victims in the Nithari killings would not affect the case which was progressing well.

Talking to the sources, CBI Director Vijay Shankar yesterday said the witness had not turned hostile but only backtracked from some of the allegations he had made in his earlier statement. The main crux of the statement that he had made before the CBI earlier and what he said in court on thursday remained the same. So it would not adversely affect the case, he said.

Nandlal, the father of victim Payal had earlier lodged an FIR against Deputy SP stating that Maninder Singh Pandher had given DSP Dinesh Yadav Rs 500 note bundles in his presence. He had also stated that the knife which was used in Payal's murder was recovered in front of him. However, in the court he retracted his earlier statement.

Describing Nithari killings as the most horrible and unfortunate crimes, the CBI director said the agency successfully completed the probe into the gruesome murders by a nacrophile with the help and support of psychologists, DNA experts and the court was also doing the hearing on day to day basis. However, there was an established procedure of law which needed to be followed.

Nithari killings was one of the few nacrophilic killings in the world and in terms of number of victims it was rarest, he said.

''One has to come across to such incident to believe it,'' he said and added that the probe was successfully conducted and the culprit would get severe punishment.

UNI