Koli gets death for 8-yr-old’s murder

The court also awarded life imprisonment to Koli for kidnapping Rachna,along with a fine of Rs 1,000 and a seven-year sentence with a similar fine for raping the child. The trial lasted 122 days.

However,Koli’s counsel Upender Sharma claimed his client was being victimised as he was poor. “We will appeal against the verdict. He should have been shown some leniency as he is the father of two children and also has a wife and mother to take care of,” he added. The court while delivering the verdict observed that Koli is no ordinary criminal to whom mercy could be shown. “The nature of crimes committed by Koli are horrendous and spine-chilling. Had there been more severe punishment in the book of law,the court would have given it to Koli,” the court said.

Rachna Lal was kidnapped when she went out to meet her grandparents on April 10,2006. When her parents found out that she had never reached her grandparents,they filed a missing person complaint with the police. In December,when the Nithari killings came to light,her father Pappu Lal identified his daughter’s clothes. Pandher,however,was not an accused in the case as investigations showed he was in Chandigarh at the time.