NEW DELHI: The court acquitted Surendra Koli, the main accused in the Nithari murder series. Allahabad High Court acquitted Surendra Koli in 12 cases in which the trial court awarded death sentence. Another accused in the case, Moninder Singh Panther, was acquitted by the High Court in both the cases. The trial court had earlier sentenced Moninder Singh to death in these cases. The Nithari massacre was the rape and murder of minor girls between 2005 and 2006. In December 2006, when skeletons were found in a sewer in Nithari, the massacre that shocked the country came to light. Skeletons of 17 children were found here. The investigation revealed that Surendra Koli brought the children home with sweets and chocolates and sexually assaulted them and killed them. Moreover, the police said that he had sexually assaulted the dead bodies of the children and had eaten the dead bodies. After the investigation, the accused left the remains and bones in the pit behind the house. Kohli's employer Moninder Singh Panthar was also arrested in the case as he was found to be involved in the crime. 16 cases were registered in connection with the Nithari massacre. The cases were charged under the charges of murder and rape. The trial court had also sentenced the accused to death. On September 8, 2014, Surendra Koli was scheduled to be executed, but the Supreme Court cancelled it. An hour and a half before the execution, the Supreme Court cancelled it.