Nithari victims' kin protest against clean chit to Moninder Singh Pander

Family members of Nithari victims today expressed their resentment over the CBI giving clean chit to industrialist Moninder Singh Pander in the case.

Pander and his domestic help Surinder Koli were arrested in December 2006 soon after the recovery of human bones, skulls and other items from a drain near Pander's D-5, Sector-31 residence in Noida.

While the duo was held accused in the case initially, the CBI named Koli as the prime accused in the charge sheet, stating there was lack of evidence against Pander.

Father of one of the victims, Jyoti, alleged CBI saved Pandher but he will drag him to court for his daughter's murder.

Vandana Sarkar, mother of another victim Pinki, also accused the CBI of letting Pander go scot-free.

Father of another victim Rachna alleged CBI distorted his statement to save Pander.

A special CBI court here had yesterday held Koli guilty of rape and murder of 12-year-old Deepali.

This is the fourth case in which Koli has been awarded death sentence by the special CBI court.

Koli was also given capital punishment in February 2009 for the rape and murder of 14-year-old Rimpa Haldar, in September 2009 for rape and murder of 8-year-old Aarti and in May this year on the same charges in the case relating to teenager Rachna.

A total of 19 cases were filed in connection with the rape and murder of children and a young woman whose skeletal remains, clothes and footwear were found in Nithari in 2006 and the CBI had filed charge sheets in 16 cases. Three cases were closed due to lack of evidence.