SC reject Nithari killer Koli’s plea for death sentence review

New Delhi, July 24:

The Supreme Court Thursday rejected the plea by Nithari serial killer Surendra Koli seeking the recall of its Feb 15, 2011 order, upholding his death sentence in one of the 16 cases of rape and killing he faced.

A bench of Justice H.L.Dattu and Justice Anil R. Dave rejected the review plea holding that it was moved long after his death sentence was upheld by the apex court. The plea for review of the Feb 15, 2011, was taken up in the chamber.

President Pranab Mukherjee had last week rejected Koli’s mercy plea.

Upholding the death sentence of Koli, a bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra (both since retired) had said: “The killings by the appellant Surendra Koli are horrifying and barbaric. He used a definite methodology in committing these murders.”

However, the rejection of Koli’s review plea would not result into his hanging as he is facing 16 rape and murder cases and only one has attained finality.

So far only the case of rape and murder of Rimpa Haldar has reached its logical conclusion. In three other cases wherein Koli has been awarded a death sentence, the appeals are pending before the high court.

The Nithari killings pertain to the horrific discovery in December 2009 of body parts in a drain behind the bungalow of M.S. Pandher’s whose servant Koli was.

The remains were of the 19 young women and children from Nithari village allegedly raped and killed by Koli in Pandher’s bungalow.

(IANS)