Allahabad High Court acquits prime accused in the infamous Nithari Murder Case

The Allahabad High Court acquitted Surendra Koli who had previously been awarded the death penalty in twelve cases in the Nithari murder case after 17 years, on Monday. His employer Moninder Singh Pandher who had received the death sentence in two cases, was acquitted in both.

One of the most infamous instances in Noida that shocked the nation was the Nithari murder case. Koli was held responsible for the 2005–2006 rape and murder of many young girls in his employer's home. At the time of the serial killings, Surinder Koli was a domestic helper for Moninder Singh Pandher. The two were also found guilty of killing a 20-year-old lady and raping her.

Skeletons were discovered in a gutter next to a home in Noida's Nithari in December 2006, and this led to the discovery of the incident. Following an investigation into the disappearance of one of the victims, Koli and his employer Pandher were detained. The bodies of the kids were found when the police started excavating the neighboring land after Koli's confession.

The case was quickly handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which recorded 16 cases, charging Surinder Koli in all of them with murders, abductions, and rapes, as well as evidence destruction, and Pandher in one for immoral trafficking.

Koli is accused of luring minors into the residence, where he and Pandher raped and murdered them. Two police officers were also suspended for failing to act after being alerted of a number of missing youngsters. The 435 square meter house in Noida's Sector 31 that was "sealed" and now stands as a reminder of the gruesome murders.