The serial killings took place at Moninder Pandher’s house in Nithari between 2005 and 2006.
New Delhi/Noida:
The accused in Nithari’s serial killings, Moninder Singh Pandhar, was today released from a jail in Greater Noida, days after the Allahabad High Court acquitted him of all charges.
The Allahabad High Court on Monday acquitted Moninder Singh Pandhar in two cases and his domestic help Surendra Koli – the prime suspect in the sensational case – in 12 cases.
Surinder Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher, who were convicted of rape and murder, were acquitted by the Supreme Court due to lack of evidence.
According to the Supreme Court, the prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
However, Koli is still a prisoner for life due to his conviction in one case.
According to the CBI, the serial killings took place between 2005 and 2006 at Moninder Pandher’s house in Nithari area of Noida in Uttar Pradesh.
Surinder Koli worked as a helper in Pandher’s house, which was dubbed the “house of horrors” by many after the revelations. Koli would lure the children into the house, where he and Pandher would rape and kill them, it was alleged.
Police said they would dismember the children’s bodies and throw them into sewers to destroy the evidence.
The discovery of body parts of a missing child in a drain near Pandher’s home sparked a major investigation that revealed the identities of more victims. Disturbing allegations of murder, mutilation and even cannibalism held the country’s attention for weeks and months.
Police said there was a series of gruesome murders of several more children following which the case was taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Koli had also previously confessed to having sex with the dead victims and also eating their body parts.
The duo were also convicted of rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman.
