By IANS
Ghaziabad : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Saturday once again spared businessman Moninder Singh Pandher of involvement in the Nithari serial killings as it charged his domestic aide Surinder Koli for the rape and murder of Nanda Devi, a one-time domestic help at Pandher's house.
The fourth chargesheet in the sexual abuse and serial murders of at least 20 children and women from Nithari village in Noida was filed against Koli, but gave co-accused Pandher a clean chit for the fourth time.
"Koli was chargesheeted for offences of criminal conspiracy to rape and murder Nanda Devi, who had worked in the Pandher's D-5 residence," a CBI official said.
According to the official, Koli called Nanda promising that he could help in providing re-employment in the house. She was murdered in October 2006.
The official said: "Pandher was in Singur in Punjab when Koli killed her. Even in the first three killings he was not present at his Noida house."
The third charge sheet was filed April 24 against Koli, absolving Pandher. It had charged Koli with criminal conspiracy to kidnap, rape and murder five-year-old Payal.
The second chargesheet was filed April 10, naming Koli for the abduction, rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman, Pinki Sarkar. The investigating agency had filed the first chargesheet March 22 in which Koli was listed as the main accused for the murder of another Payal, 26.
It was Payal's murder that had actually led to the unravelling of the sex-related butcheries in Nithari village in Noida, adjacent to Delhi. Skeletal remains of the victims were found from a drain behind Pandher's Noida bungalow Dec 29.
In the next few days, more than 20 skulls and several bones were discovered from the drain. The CBI, which took over investigations from the Noida police Jan 10, has registered 19 cases so far.
According to CBI joint director Arun Kumar, there is no strong evidence against Pandher.
Pandher was only chargesheeted for indulging in immoral trafficking and bribing Simranjeet Kaur, a sub-inspector of the Noida police who has been suspended.