New Delhi: There is no sanctity to the word “peremptorily”, an anguished Supreme Court said on Thursday after the CBI and the Uttar Pradesh government sought time to argue their appeals challenging the acquittal of Surendra Koli in the 2006 Nithari serial killings case.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih noted that in its last order passed on March 25, the apex court had said, “Peremptorily, list these matters on April 3 (high up on the board).”
As the matter came up for hearing, the counsel appearing for one of the victims’ father, who has challenged Koli’s acquittal, said they needed some time to argue the case.
“You should have made that request on the earlier date when the matter was fixed. It is causing inconvenience to counsel coming from outstation,” Justice Gavai said.
Koli’s counsel said the only evidence against him was a confessional statement made after 60 days of police custody in which he
was tortured.
He said the Allahabad High Court’s decision acquitting Koli on October 16, 2023 referred to a systematic organ trade.
The bench expressed its displeasure and said though nine senior lawyers had appeared in the matter on the last date for the petitioners, not even one was ready to
argue today.
“It cuts a very sorry picture on the CBI,” it said.