Ghaziabad: A special CBI court will
pronounce its verdict on Tuesday in the rape and murder of
eight-year-old Aarti, the second case related to killing of 19
children and young women in Noida`s Nithari village.
Judge A K Singh fixed May 4 for judgement in the case
last evening.
The accused Moninder Singh Pandher, 56 and his servant
Surender Koli, 39, were awarded death sentence by a CBI court
on February 13, 2009 for the rape and murder of 17-year-old
Rimpa Haldar, the first Nithari killings case.
But on September 11, 2009, the Allahabad High Court
acquitted Pandher while confirming the death sentence on the
servant in connection with the grisly killings which surfaced
in December 2006.
In January this year, the Supreme Court stayed the
death sentence of Koli.
The judge also fixed May 4 for final hearing in the
third case related to the killing of 14-year-old Rachna.
In the Aarti murder case, CBI produced 46 witnesses
while Koli produced only one witness.
The CBI filed a charge sheet only against Koli and
gave a clean chit to Pandher in the case, stating that he was
abroad during the period when the crimes were committed.
However, during the trial, the victim`s family charged
Pandher with raping and murdering Aarti, who had reportedly
not returned home after going out to buy some sweets on Oct
25, 2006 .
In 2006, body parts of 19 young women and children
were found in a drain behind Pandher`s bungalow. Of the 19
cases of abduction, rape and murder of four women and 15
children, the CBI has filed charge sheets in 16 cases which
are being heard separately.
While Koli has been charged with rape, abduction and
murder in all the cases, Pandher is co-accused in only six
cases.
PTI
