Nithari accused beaten up by mob in court premises

New Delhi, Jan 25: Nithari serial killings accused Moninder Singh Pandher and Surendra Koli on Thursday faced public fury when they were produced in Ghaziabad court. Both accused were severely beaten up by an angry crowd of lawyers and public. Moninder and Surendra were remanded to 14-day CBI custody. Expressing serious concerns over the incident, Ghaziabad court has sought reply from the district administration over the security lapse.

As the duo was being brought out of the court of a special CBI judge, where they were produced for renewal of their remand, after closed-door proceedings, lawyers and a large crowd present outside pounced on them raining blows.

Pandher, the businessman in whose house in Noida the grisly killings and sexual assaults took place was particularly targeted by the crowd which pulled his hair, kept punching on his face and rained blows.

Police was seen trying to cover Pandher, who fainted as a result of the severe blows.

The policemen surrounding them had a tough time controlling the mob, giving vent to their anger over the grisly killings of women and children at Pandher`s Noida residence.

Police had a tough time in rescuing them and taking them to the lockup.

Medical check-up of the accused

Moninder and Surendra were brought to the RML Hospital here for a check-up and treatment.

While Koli was discharged after check-up and first-aid and was taken away by CBI officials, Pandher, who bore the brunt of the mob fury, was being kept under observation, hospital sources said.

Pandher, on whom the crowd had rained blows, has received injuries on his back and face, but there were no serious wounds and his condition was stable, they said.

An ECG was conducted on Pandher, who is in his fifties, and it was normal.

He is being attended by a four-member medical team headed by S K Sharma, Casualty Medical Officer.

His condition is said to be normal and could be discharged later in the day.

In the wake of the mob attack on the duo as they were produced in a local court in Ghaziabad, heavy security arrangements were in place at the RML Hospital, with policemen and paramilitary forces guarding the emergency ward where the two accused were brought.

The area around the ward was also barricaded to restrict entry of people.

Pandher, Koli remanded to 14 days CBI custody

Moninder Singh Pandher and Surendra Koli, the prime accused in the Nithari serial killings, were today remanded to 14 days CBI custody.

Special CBI Judge Sapna Misra granted fresh remand of the two accused for their further custodial interrogation.

The CBI, while seeking further remand also produced a few documents related to the investigations during the last 14 days custody of the duo before the special court.

Court discusses security lapse with senior officials

Special judge of Ghaziabad court Sapna Mishra today held a meeting with senior police officials and the District Magistrate to discuss the lapse in security after the assault on Nithari serial killings accused Moninder Singh Pandher and Surinder Koli by an angry mob.

Mishra convened a meeting with SSP Naveen Arora, District Magistrate M K S Sundaram and the Special Prosecution Officer.

Mishra discussed with officials issues pertaining to the security lapse inside the district court complex.

The CBI, which had taken over the custody of both the accused on January 11 produced them in court to seek their fresh remand. It had registered 19 cases against them.

Uttar Pradesh Police had on December 29 recovered skulls and human remains from a drain behind Pandher`s D-5, sector 31 residence in Noida unearthing the serial killings of children and women allegedly by him and his domestic help Koli.