SC dismisses review plea of Nithari killer Surinder Koli

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday dismissed the Nithari killings convict Surinder Koli's petition seeking a review of the judgement confirming his death sentence.

The legal counsel of Surinder Koli had earlier filed a review petition by introducing new evidence and stating that the confessions made by Koli were not voluntary but were made under torture, said Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand.

The apex court however, rejected the review petition and upheld Koli's death sentence.

"The review was heard in open court, submissions were made on two aspects, firstly the counsel of Surinder Koli tried to introduce new evidence and said that it had been suppressed by the prosecution, and secondly the opposition made by his counsel was that the confessions were not voluntary, they were made under torture and that had not been properly considered by the court," Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand told ANI.

"The court heard the matter at length and found that the confessions were voluntary, the review petition has been dismissed and the matter has been left to take its own course," she added.

Earlier, the court bench headed by then Chief Justice-designate Justice H L Dattu on September 12 had stayed the execution of Koli till October 29 and had scheduled the hearing on October 28.

The apex court had earlier on September 8 stayed the death row convict's execution by one week after an appeal was filed by senior advocate Indira Jaising on behalf of Koli.

The Supreme Court earlier on July 24 had refused to stay the execution and had rejected Koli's review petition against confirmation of his death penalty.

There are 11 cases of murder pending against Koli. The CBI had filed the chargesheet against him in 16 cases where he had allegedly killed children after sexually abusing them.

Koli was awarded death sentence by a lower court, which was upheld by the Allahabad High Court and confirmed by the Supreme Court on February 15, 2011, for the murder of Rimpa Halder in 2005.

Out of the 16 cases filed against Koli, he has been awarded death sentence in five of them so far while the others are still under trial.