Supreme Court Clears Surendra Koli in Nithari Killings, Citing Flawed Investigation
Image Source: Internet
The Supreme Court has acquitted Surendra Koli, the prime accused in the Nithari killings, citing a deeply flawed police investigation. The top court criticized the police for neglecting key leads, including those related to organ trade, and failing to provide forensic proof to support circumstantial evidence. The court also highlighted lapses in the investigation, including delays in securing the crime scene, contradictory remand and recovery papers, and incomplete forensic documentation. The bench found numerous discrepancies in the police investigation and expressed regret over the suffering of the victims' families. Koli's alleged confession was deemed unreliable due to his prolonged custody without access to legal aid or medical examination. The court also noted that the forensic analysis showed no human bloodstains or remains consistent with the alleged crimes in the house. The acquittal comes after Koli's co-accused, Mohinder Singh Pandher, was already cleared in several other cases. The Supreme Court ordered Koli's immediate release, bringing an end to his 17-year-long imprisonment since 2006. The court emphasized that criminal law requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and that suspicion or conjecture cannot replace concrete evidence. The Nithari killings, which allegedly took place between 2005 and 2006, were described as exceptionally heinous, and the court expressed regret over the failure to establish the identity of the actual perpetrator despite a prolonged investigation.
