New Delhi, Nov 11: The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed a curative petition filed by Surendra Koli, one of the key accused in the infamous Nithari murder cases, effectively clearing the way for his release from jail.

The order was passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath. “The curative petition is allowed,” Justice Vikram Nath stated during the hearing.

Koli, a domestic worker, had been convicted in multiple cases related to the Nithari killings, which came to light in 2006 after human remains were discovered in a drain near a residence in Noida. The case shocked the nation with its gruesome details involving the murder of children and young women, and allegations of rape and cannibalism.

A total of 19 cases were filed against Koli and his employer, Mohinder Singh Pandher, in 2007. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) closed three cases due to lack of evidence. Koli was acquitted in three of the remaining 16 cases, and his death sentence in one was commuted to life imprisonment in 2015 by the Allahabad High Court, citing delays in deciding his mercy plea.

In a major development in 2023, both Koli and Pandher were acquitted by the court, which criticized the investigation as “botched up” and concluded that the prosecution had failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

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Despite the acquittals, the CBI and families of the victims challenged the verdicts in the Supreme Court. However, on July 30 this year, the apex court dismissed all 14 appeals, reinforcing the acquittals.

With the acceptance of his curative petition, and no remaining convictions against him, Koli is now set to walk free after nearly two decades behind bars.