Key Points
- Supreme Court has rejected CBI’s appeals in the infamous Nithari killings, upholding Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of Surendra Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher.
- Chief Justice BR Gavai and team affirmed that convictions can’t stand on circumstantial evidence alone.
- Death penalties for Koli (12 cases) and Pandher (2 cases) overturned; legal saga concludes except in the Rimpa Halder murder, where Koli’s death sentence remains.
- Court sharply criticized CBI and police for a flawed investigation and lack of credible evidence.
- Final closure brings an end to nearly two decades of high-profile legal battles in one of India’s most shocking murder sprees.
New Delhi: In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has rejected the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeals against the acquittal of Surendra Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher in multiple cases related to the 2006 Nithari serial killings in Noida. The decision, delivered by a three-judge bench including Chief Justice BR Gavai, affirms the Allahabad High Court’s October 2023 verdict exonerating both men in all but one murder case.
Court’s Judgement and Critique
The apex court found no grounds to overturn the High Court’s findings, which criticized the prosecution for failing to prove guilt “beyond reasonable doubt.” Both courts observed the following:
- No eyewitnesses and insufficient forensic/scientific evidence: Convicting solely on circumstantial grounds does not meet the legal threshold for the death penalty.
- Investigation was botched and unreliable: Judges called the probe a “betrayal of public trust,” with incomplete evidence collection and mishandled leads.
High Court Decision Now Final
- October 16, 2023: Allahabad High Court acquitted both Koli and Pandher of most charges, cancelling the death sentences handed down by the Ghaziabad CBI court in 2010.
- Supreme Court’s July 30, 2025 ruling cements that verdict, closing decades-long legal proceedings except in two specific murder cases:
- In the Rimpa Halder case, Koli’s death sentence remains upheld.
- In one other case, his sentence was reduced to life imprisonment.
Defense and Judicial Reasoning
Surendra Koli’s defense, led by senior advocate Manisha Bhandari, stressed the absence of direct evidence and reliance only on confessions and circumstantial links. The court accepted this reasoning, asserting that the imposition of capital punishment without irrefutable proof is inconsistent with principles of justice.
The Nithari Killings: A Legal Serial Tragedy
The Nithari killings sent shockwaves across the country in 2006, when the remains of numerous children were discovered around Pandher’s house in Noida. The case became infamous for its gruesomeness and the alleged mishandling by investigative agencies. Out of 19 FIRs, the courts have now acquitted the accused in the vast majority, holding only one death penalty and one life sentence against Koli.
With this top court rejection, the CBI’s long-standing pursuit in the Nithari case comes to a formal end. The episode stands as both a cautionary tale against poorly prosecuted investigations and a reminder of the critical importance of solid, direct evidence in India’s criminal justice system.
