SC rejects Nithari killer Surinder Koli's plea to review his death penalty

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the plea by Nithari killer Surinder Koli seeking recall of the judgment upholding his death sentence in Rimpa Haldar murder case. The apex court bench of Chief Justice HL Dattu, Justice Anil R Dave and Justice SA Bobde, in the first open court hearing of the review petition of death sentence cases, said: “we are fully satisfied that this court has not committed any error that may persuade us to review the order,” upholding Koli’s death sentence. Referring to the argument by senior counsel Ram Jethmalani that Surinder Koli was not given a proper legal assistance to defend his case, the court directed that in future the trial court will ensure that the accused in other cases be given proper legal assistance by a lawyer of expertise and who can devote time. [caption id=“attachment_1698063” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Surinder Koli. IBNlive.com[/caption] Jethmalani said the entire evidence relied upon by the trial court in convicting and sentencing Koli to death clearly shows that he was tormented by the police to give evidence against himself and autopsy report shows that the murder of 14 children was done by medical expert precision with the objective of trading in organs. Previously, the SC had extended its order putting his execution on hold till 29 October. Koli is presently in a high-security barrack in the Meerut jail given he’s a special category prisoner. So far, Koli has not reportedly intimated the authorities about his last wish. Koli will be the 18th criminal to be hanged in the Meerut jail. A warrant was issued on 3 September by Ghaziabad’s Additional sessions Judge Atul Kumar Gupta in the name of 42-year-old Koli stating that he should be hanged to death after he had exhausted all his legal remedies in this case. Koli has been sentenced to death in connection with the killing of Rimpa Halder and in four other cases. Koli was awarded the death sentence by a lower court, which was upheld by the Allahabad High Court and confirmed by the Supreme Court on 15 February, 2011 for the murder of Rimpa Halter in 2005. Holding that Koli “appears to be the serial killer”, the court had said “No mercy can be shown to him.” A total of 16 cases were registered against Koli. His employer Moninder Singh Pandher, who was also sentenced to death in Rimpa Halder case, was acquitted by the Allahabad High Court. Out of 16 cases filed against Koli, he has been awarded death sentence in five of them so far and others are still under trial. With inputs from IANS