The Uttar Pradesh government intends to reevaluate the Allahabad High Court’s order in the Nithari serial killings case and may approach the Supreme Court if necessary, stated Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
On Monday, the high court acquitted domestic help Surendra Koli and his employer Moninder Singh Pandher in the infamous 2005-06 case, where they were previously sentenced to death. The court cited the prosecution’s failure to establish guilt “beyond reasonable doubt” and the mishandling of the investigation.
This verdict has stirred memories of the heinous crimes involving young children, brought to light by the discovery of skeletal remains behind a Noida residence near Delhi. Families of the victims have expressed a sense of injustice.
Deputy Chief Minister Maurya, during an official visit to Gautam Buddh Nagar, remarked, “Certainly, the type of crimes that were registered in this case and the type of advocacy that should have been done by the government were done.”
He further stated, “Certainly, the Allahabad HC’s order will be reviewed at the government level, and if necessary, the government will approach the Supreme Court.”
The Allahabad High Court decision reversed the death sentences in 12 cases for Koli and two cases for Pandher. The court noted the failure of the prosecution to prove the guilt of both accused “beyond reasonable doubt” based on circumstantial evidence and criticized the investigation as a betrayal of public trust by responsible agencies. The two were originally charged with rape and murder, and their sentences were related to killings that shocked the nation due to the horrific details of sexual assault, brutal murder, and potential cannibalism.
Koli is currently imprisoned in Ghaziabad and faces multiple cases, while Pandher is detained in a Noida jail and may soon be released following the High Court’s decision.
In Noida, family members of the victims expressed their disappointment with the verdict and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure the killers receive the appropriate punishment. One bereaved parent commented, “We are not satisfied with the judgment. This is not right. If someone killing several children gets acquitted, what punishment will those who kill one or two people get.”
