CBI court to decide on plea against Pandher in Jyoti murder case

Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), Jan 30 : A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court will decide whether Nithari killings accused Moninder Singh Pandher is to also be named an accused in the rape and murder of 14-year-old Jyoti.

The CBI had earlier given a clean chit to Pandher, but charged Surinder Koli, his servant, in connection with the case.

A protest petition challenging the chargesheet filed by the investigating agency in July last year was moved in the court of Special CBI Judge Ram Jain.

According to prosecution counsel Khalid Khan, Jyoti was murdered at Pandher's Noida residence. Based on an account of Jhabbulal, Jyoti's father, charges of murder, rape and concealment of evidence were registered against the accused.

This is the fifth case relating to Nithari killings in which Pandher has been named an accused. He had earlier been accused of the rape and murder of Payal(22), Pinki Sarkar (18), Madhu (14) and Rimpa Haldar(16).

The CBI has already filed eleven chargesheets in connection with the Nithari cases so far. While Koli was named the prime accused in all cases, Pandher was given a clean chit in nine.

Nineteen people, mostly children, were killed inside Pandher's sprawling bungalow in the industrial town of NOIDA, in Uttar Pradesh in December 2006.

ANI