The Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted Surendra Koli, the main accused in the horrifying Nithari killings that shocked the nation in 2005-2006. This decision came in the last remaining case against him, marking the end of a long legal battle that had lasted nearly two decades.

A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai, Justice Surya Kant, and Justice Vikram Nath delivered the verdict, setting aside Koli’s conviction in the murder and rape of a 15-year-old girl. The court ordered his immediate release, saying, “The petitioner is acquitted of the charges. The petitioner shall be released forthwith.”

This was the 13th case filed against Surendra Koli in connection with the Nithari murders. He had already been acquitted in 12 earlier cases, and with this latest decision, he is now a free man.

What is Nithari case

The Nithari case, one of India’s most disturbing crime stories, involved the discovery of human remains, including bones and skulls, near the house of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher in Nithari village, Noida, between 2005 and 2006. Koli, who worked as Pandher’s domestic help, was accused of kidnapping, raping, and murdering several children and women. The gruesome nature of the crimes sparked nationwide outrage and intense media coverage.

The case also inspired the 2024 Hindi filmSector 36, which was loosely based on the Nithari killings. Koli had filed a curative petition challenging the Supreme Court’s earlier 2011 judgment, which had upheld his conviction and death sentence in one of the cases.

 After years of appeals and reviews, the top court finally decided to overturn his conviction, citing lack of sufficient evidence. With this ruling, the court has officially closed all pending cases against Surendra Koli, bringing an end to one of the most infamous and long-running criminal sagas in India’s legal history.