SC hints Koli might be let off in last case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that Nithari killings convict Surendra Koli may be acquitted in the sole case in which his conviction still stands, observing that it would be a "travesty of justice" to sustain the 2011 verdict when he has been acquitted in 12 other cases arising from the same set of facts and evidence.

- Utkarsh Anand and Abraham Thomas

A bench of Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath reserved its verdict on Koli's curative petition, while remarking: "This matter deserves to be allowed in a minute."

"Will this not be anomalous?

If on the same set of facts, this court has acquitted him in other cases, and he is convicted in this case on the same facts... will this not be a travesty of justice?" the bench asked Additional Solicitor General Raja Thakare, who appeared for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The court pointed out that Koli's conviction in the remaining case rested solely on his confession and the recovery of a kitchen knife from a lane behind his house -- the same evidence on which he was acquitted in the other trials.

"What was the recovery? A kitchen knife? And it was recovered from a gully behind his house?" the CJI asked, turning to ASG Thakare.