Nithari Killings: Surinder Koli would lure the children into the house (File)
Seventeen years after the killing of women and children in Noida's Nithari stunned the nation, with the discovery of bones and other human remains around what was described as a "house of horrors", the main accused - Surinder Koli - has been cleared of all charges. He was acquitted in 12 cases by the Allahabad High Court today.
His employer Moninder Singh Pandher, co-accused in the case, was also acquitted in two cases.
Their death sentences stand cancelled.
Surinder Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher, who were convicted of rape and murder, were acquitted over lack of evidence, said officials.
The serial killings took place at Moninder Pandher's home in Nithari area of Uttar Pradesh's Noida between 2005 and 2006, according to the CBI.
Surinder Koli worked as a help at Pandher's home, which was dubbed by many as the "house of horrors" after the revelations. Koli would lure the children into the house, where he and Pandher raped and murdered them, it was alleged.
The police said they would chop up the bodies of the children and throw the parts in drains to destroy the evidence.
The discovery of body parts of a missing child in a drain near Pandher's home led to a massive investigation that revealed the identities of more victims. Disturbing allegations of murder, mutilation, and even cannibalism held the nation's attention for weeks and months.
The police said there were a series of gruesome murders of several more children, after which the case was taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI filed 19 cases against Pandher and Koli in 2007.
Surinder Koli was found guilty of rape and murder of several children at his employer's house. Koli had earlier confessed to having sex with the dead victims and also eating their body parts.
The duo was also convicted for rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman.