Nithari case: CBI court gives death sentence to Surendra Koli, 7-year jail term to Maninder Singh Pandher

A CBI court in Ghaziabad on Thursday sentenced to death Surendra Koli in the infamous Nithari case, while his then-employeer Maninder Singh Pandher was given a seven-year jail term.

New Delhi/Ghaziabad:A CBI court in Ghaziabad on Thursday sentenced to death Surendra Koli, and sentenced fellow accused Maninder Singh Pandher to seven years in prison, in the 14th out of 16 cases registered in relation to the infamous Nithari killings. Speaking to ETV Bharat, Defence Lawyer Devraj Singh detailed punishments meted out against the duo.

"Surendra Koli received life imprisonment under sections 364 and 376, a death sentence under section 302, a six-year jail term under section 404, and a seven-year jail term under section 201. Maninder Singh Pandher, under the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act, was given a two-year sentence under section 3, and a seven-year sentence under section 5," Singh said.

Among the total of 16 cases, Koli has so far been sentenced to death in 12 cases, the first time being February 13, 2009. Currently, both are lodged in Dasna Jail of Ghaziabad. The matter in question took place back in December 2006, when 19 skeletons had been recovered from House number 5 in Noida's sector 31.

Koli, at the time, was employed as Pandher's servant. Among the 19, one was identified as an adult, while five were boys, and the rest were minor girls. The adult was found to have been kidnapped, raped, and murdered, followed by Kohli violating the bodies.