"We were pained when Moninder Pandher was acquitted," says father of victim in Nithari killings case

Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 12 (ANI): Questioning the acquittal of the 2006 Nithari serial killings case alleged accused Surendra Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher by the Supreme Court, the father of the deceased said that he was pained by the apex court's decision.
He stated that Moninder Singh Pandher had admitted to his crime in front of the police, questioning the role of Surinder Koli in the incident and inquiring why he was being held in jail if he was innocent.
"We were pained when Pandher (Moninder Singh Pandher) was acquitted...Pandher had admitted to his crime before Police. If Koli (Surendra Koli) is not responsible for it, if Pandher is not responsible for it, why were they jailed for all these years? In that case, those who jailed him should be hanged. If they are not the perpetrators, who is?," the victim's father said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted Surendra Koli, who was convicted in the 2006 Nithari serial killings case, and set aside his conviction.
A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Vikram Nath ordered his immediate release if not wanted in any other case.
Justice Nath, who pronounced the order, stated that Koli is acquitted of the charges. "The curative petition is allowed. The petitioner is acquitted of the charges. The petitioner shall be released forthwith," the top court said.
The bench set aside the conviction of Koli in the last remaining case related to the Nithari killings. He has been acquitted in 12 cases already.
The apex court allowed the curative petition filed by Koli against the 2011 judgment of the Supreme Court, which had confirmed his conviction in one of the cases.
Koli then filed a curative petition based on his subsequent acquittal in 12 other cases. Koli's curative petition before the top court challenged his conviction in one of the Nithari killings cases, contending that the same evidence used to convict him was later found unreliable in the other cases where he has since been acquitted.
This was the last remaining conviction against him after the apex court in July this year dismissed appeals against the Allahabad High Court judgment acquitting him and co-accused Moninder Singh Pandher in other Nithari killings cases. (ANI)