Nithari killings: Special CBI court awards death sentence to Surinder Koli

A special CBI court here has awarded death sentence to the prime accused in the Nithari murders Surinder Koli for raping and murdering a woman.

Judge Rakesh Tripathi awarded seven-year imprisonment to Koli's employer -- businessman Moninder Singh Pandher -- in the case linked to the murders that rocked the country.

The court imposed a fine of Rs 62,000 on Koli and Rs 4,000 on Pandher.

Special CBI public prosecutor Darshan Lal said the agency has produced 83 witnesses before the court and their statements have been recorded.

On the basis of evidence, Koli has been held guilty of killing, raping, hatching a conspiracy and destroying proof of crime while Pandher was accused of immoral trafficking.