Surendra Koli, acquitted in Nithari case found dead in his tea shop

Nithari case accused Surendra Koli was found dead in his tea stall in Hardwar on Friday, police said. Koli, who was subsequently acquitted in several Nithari cases, worked as a domestic help at the Noida house of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher. The Nithari case came to light in 2006 when skeletal remains, skulls and bones were discovered from the backyard and drains near a bungalow (D-5) belonging to Pandher in Sector 31, Noida. 
The gruesome findings, unearthing the disappearance and killings of several children and women, had triggered nationwide outrage and terrorised the local community. Pandher, a co-accused in the case, was also in jail for years but was released on October 20, 2023 following his acquittal in the case. Koli, who was 30 years old when arrested in 2006, was awarded multiple death sentences in various cases over the years, but acquitted last year.
Between 2009 and 2017, Koli was convicted by a special CBI court in 13 cases and sentenced to death. Pandher was convicted in two cases and sentenced to death. However, appeals filed by Koli and Pandher brought the entire investigation into the case under the scrutiny of the Allahabad High Court. In October 2023, the High Court found serious flaws after examining the prosecution's evidence. It opened a can of worms. The High Court declared that the investigation was botched. Subsequently, it overturned the death sentences and acquitted Koli in 12 cases and Pandher in both the cases filed against him.
Separately, the CBI, along with the Uttar Pradesh government and the victims' families, challenged their acquittal before the Supreme Court. In June 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of Koli and Pandher. In November 2025, the Supreme Court exercised its curative jurisdiction and acquitted Koli of all charges in the final case. The top court said since the evidence used in the 12 other cases was rejected, upholding conviction in the final case would constitute a "manifest miscarriage of justice". Koli later shifted to Haridwar, where he was reportedly running a tea stall.