By IANS,
New Delhi : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Friday said it was satisfied with the death sentence to Surinder Koli but will seek legal advise on the same punishment for businessman Moninder Singh Pandher who was “away at the time of the incidents”.
“The court has conducted trial and it was completed in less than two years. The CBI is satisfied with the judgement pronounced against accused Surinder Koli,” the agency, which probed the macabre Nithari killings, said in a press statement here.
“In case of Pandher, further action, if any, would be taken only after the court order is examined and on the basis of legal advice as 15 other cases, in which charge sheets have been filed before the court, are awaiting trial,” the statement added.
Special Judge Rama Jain earlier Friday awarded death sentence to Pandher and his domestic help Koli in a case related to criminal conspiracy, abduction, rape and murder of 14-year-old Rimpa Haldar.
The CBI took over the probe from the Noida police in January 2007. It exonerated Pandher of rape and murder in its charge sheet.
The CBI said the charge sheets were finalised in 16 cases after thorough investigation from all angles, including scientific tests like DNA fingerprinting, skull superimposition and other legally admissible evidence.
“Investigation revealed that Pandher, owner of the house, was away when the incidents took place. This is borne out from the documents, statement of witnesses and mobile phone records,” the CBI said.
“When the first incident of abduction, rape and murder of Haldar took place on Feb 8, 2005, Pandher was out of the country in Australia. The opinion formed by the CBI in all the 16 cases was based on legally admissible evidence and the result of investigation,” it added.
According to the agency, the investigations established that Koli was involved in all the murders and he was a psychopath killer suffering from necrophilia and necrophagia.