The notorious Nithari serial killings case, which horrified the nation nearly two decades ago, has taken a dramatic turn with the full acquittal of both prime accused, leaving families and investigators grappling with an unresolved mystery: who murdered the children? Between 2005 and 2006, at least 16 children—mostly young girls from impoverished backgrounds—and several women vanished from the Nithari village neighbourhood in Noida, a suburb just an hour from the national capital. The gruesome discovery of skeletal remains, skulls, and bones in drains and the backyard of bungalow D-5 in Sector 31 triggered nationwide outrage, exposing allegations of abduction, rape, murder, necrophilia, and even cannibalism. Homeowner Moninder Singh Pandher, a Chandigarh-based businessman, and his domestic help Surinder Koli were arrested in December 2006, swiftly convicted in multiple cases, and sentenced to death, only for the Allahabad High Court to acquit them in October 2023, citing a "botched-up probe" and lack of evidence.

Pandher, who endured nearly 17 years in jail before his release, broke his silence in an exclusive interview with India Today on November 19, 2025, vehemently denying any involvement and portraying himself as a victim of a media-fuelled miscarriage of justice. He claimed the investigation was "110% influenced by media pressure", with interrogators echoing sensational newspaper stories rather than pursuing facts, leading to coerced confessions and flawed evidence. Pandher insisted he spent only a few days a week at the Nithari residence due to business travels, remaining oblivious to any crimes occurring inside. Regarding Koli, his former employee, Pandher described him as unremarkable during their time together but alleged that Koli's post-arrest behaviour and confessions painted an exaggerated picture of depravity, possibly to curry favour or under duress. He admitted to occasionally calling sex workers to the home but rejected all links to the disappearances, emphasising that he, too, seeks justice for the victims.

The acquittals culminated in the Supreme Court's July 2025 upholding of Pandher's release and its November 11, 2025, order freeing Koli in the last pending case involving the murder of 14-year-old Rimpa Haldar, after dismissing key evidence as inadmissible due to police lapses. This has reopened old wounds for victims' families, who express profound heartbreak and frustration. One father, whose daughter was among the victims, questioned in anguish whether a "ghost" committed the crimes, while others demand accountability for the years of wrongful imprisonment and accuse authorities of shielding organ trafficking networks that may have preyed on the vulnerable slum children. Pandher echoed their call for a fresh probe, suggesting disappearances occurred across a broader area—from houses D-1 to D-6 and beyond the Nithari bridge—implying a larger conspiracy beyond his doorstep.

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As Nithari's unresolved horror lingers, the case underscores systemic failures in India's criminal justice system, from hasty investigations under public scrutiny to overlooked vulnerabilities in marginalised communities. With both accused now exonerated, calls are mounting for a high-level reinvestigation, potentially involving the CBI, to unearth the truth and deliver long-overdue closure. Pandher, now rebuilding his life in Chandigarh, warned that the "game played" was far from small, hinting at deeper influences that derailed the original inquiry. For the families still waiting, the acquittals transform a quest for punishment into a desperate search for answers, ensuring the Nithari killings remain a haunting chapter in India's collective memory.

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