Nithari killings: CBI court hands death penalty to Koli, Pandher

The special CBI court on Monday gave death sentence to Surender Koli and Manender Pandher convicted in infamous Nithari killings. Koli and Pandher were pronounced guilty by the CBI court in the murder and attempted rape of a 20-year-old girl. This is eighth of the 16 murder cases against the two. Judgment has already been given in seven cases.

On Saturday, the CBI court had held both the accused guilty of attempted rape, murder and destruction of evidence. Out of the 16 cases, seven have been decided so far and the Ghaziabad court has awarded prime accused Surinder Kohli death penalty in each case.

While terming the Nithari killings case as 'rarest of rare', judge Pawan Kumar Tiwari awarded the death sentence to both the convicts.

The Nithari killings took place in 2005 and 2006 when minor girls, young women and children disappeared mysteriously from around Pandher's Sector 31 residence in Noida.Police had discovered 19 skeletons from Pandher's house in Nithari in Noida on December 29, 2006.

Pandher and Koli were charge-sheeted in 16 of the 19 cases, while three were closed for want of evidence.

OneIndia News