The Allahabad high court has acquitted Surinder Koli and Maninder Singh Pandher, the prime accused in the Nithari serial rape and murder case. Koli was acquitted in 12 cases and Pandher in two cases, where both were previously sentenced to death. The court concluded that the prosecution failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. However, Koli will remain in jail under a separate life imprisonment order. The court also criticized the investigation, stating that the possibility of organ trading as the cause of killings was not properly probed.